Need help with a little research - anyone from a small town in the US?

I'm not even sure that my new idea is going to work but it's too good for me to let go without at least giving it a try.

The first problem is the idea just wouldn't work in england, where I am from, there just isn't enough space for a place to be isolated enough, and scotland just doesn't have the "feel" that I want. So I figured that the US might be a good place.

Second problem is I've never even stepped foot there, and won't be (too expensive and no time) any time soon, so I figure I've got to learn enough about small town life in the US "remotely" to make the story convincing.

My main worries are the cliches and stereotypes, I know that this happens the other way around (take davinci code for british stereotypes), but the odd thing is a lot of cliches and stereotypes turn out not too far off the mark anyway, well sort of. I just want to avoid those that will ruin what I think is a good story idea.

So anyone willing to exchange PM's and let me pick their brains about small town life in the US?

A lot of the questions will be "is this really true?" or "do people really do that?" or "what do you call this over there?" kind of things.

I promise not to bombard with a million of them.

Oh and I apologise if I haven't mentioned the idea, I'm just not comfortable with throwing it out there for everyone to see. Of course you all have your own ideas anyway.

thanks!

@askelad

The story as i view it at the moment is modern day, or at least in the last few years rather than 30-40.

Saying that, the characters that i create will need fleshing out and giving a background when it's relevant to the story, ("It never used to be like that") so some idea of the differences would be nice. If you don't mind i might like to post you a couple of questions at some point, but right now i need to grasp the basic differences so I can attempt to write the characters in a convincing way.

@aliajohnson

I was looking at the less populated areas, basically where a small town could quite easily be out of the way. So more middle and south?. colorado/kansas/northern texas?

Must admit i was just looking at basic differences between social culture between the US and the UK at the moment, to try and eliminate things the more obvious bad impressions.

Thanks for all the offers of help folks, I've probably got more people willing to answer questions than I have questions now! (I should have known you folks would be this helpful and been a bit more prepared for it!)

It's late here now, (1:30am) so i'll send pms and emails tommorrow.

I imagined a town small enough that everybody knows everybody, a main street with a few shops and one convenience store, gas station on the edge of town, a bar/clubhouse, flatlands/farms for miles arround, an interstate that pases a few miles away but not close enough for a national express coach (don't know what you call your buses) to go through town more than once a week. Where there really is only one of each type of business.

If you are saying that they are everywhere, then that makes my choice much easier!