I've had spotting for 9 days in a row along with cramping. this started 17 days after the first day of my last period.

Not normal: Bleeding between periods is not considered normal. However in a young and otherwise healthy woman who has never had this before, i'm not very worried. As long as your pregnancy test is negative, i would not pursue it unless it happens again. At that point i would see your gynecologist for an evaluation. Irregular bleeding can be from polyps, fibroids, infections, or hormone changes.

Cramping: The only thing i would add here is that cramping can be a symptom of infection. Perhaps you have cervicitis or a urinary tract infection complicating this menstrual cycle.