So maybe not exactly today, but Nineteen Eighty-Nine was obviously the peak-and-pinnacle of my big '80s hair. Wow. How very Jack Nance. I am hereby humbled.



Long story short, I just joined Facebook. Actually, Jennifer joined, then my sister (on the left) invited my mom to join, but my mom wasn't sure, so she asked me and I essentially said "why bother?", but then Jennifer talked me into letting her set up an account for me.

And what do I end up finding? Strange evidence of me taking my sister's friend (Was her name Crystal? I'm uncertain. I know the guy went by "Orca," and Orca was very mëtäl) to a high school dance. Improv tux, Siouxsie and the Banshees buttons, antique cokespoon ankh necklace, pirate pin. I must have thought I was stylin'. Facebook is a scary place.

"Hello..."


"Hello..."


"Hellooooooooo...."

"What are you doing Maddie?"

"Just saying 'Hello.' But check it out, my voice sounds all stretchy and echoey in here. Hellooooooooooo...."

---

I scored a rare Monday off yesterday, thanks to a late Sunday night text message from jlassen telling me that, since the next day was a holiday, I may as well stay home. Of course, today is the real holiday, parades and all, but who am I to argue with a chance to hang out at home? So stay home I did, working (of course) on a comprehensive "recommended reading" list of vampire novels that I've been putting together for By Blood We Live, the vampire anthology Night Shade Books is putting out next August.

Have you got a favorite vampire novel that I absolutely shouldn't forget? Have you written the great American vampire novel? If so, say something in the comments, and if it isn't there already, I'll add it to the list. And yeah, you can recommend short stories, too (or you can suggest them directly to the editor, John Joseph Adams, right here).

And I'm nine days away from forty. And counting. Ugh.