no·vel·la
noun
1. a short novel or long short story.
Yep, that is the official definition of novella, the subject of this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. As in the case of their longer cousins, novellas span genres and styles — historical, contemporary, suspense, romance — there is something for everyone! Looking at the varying forms novellas take, I have come up with a few categories. What do you think?
Don’t forget to check out other bloggers favorite novellas at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Novellas
The Complimentary Novella — books that are written to introduce or compliment a novel series. These help to fill in the blanks, as well as entice a reader with a quick read. They are often prequels to the main story.
An Awakened Heart (An Orphan Train Novella) by Jody Hedund
Then Came You (A Bradford Sisters novella) by Becky Wade
Interrelated Novella Collection — these 2-4 novella collections often have several authors all writing within a continuing storyline. The examples I have chosen either follow different members of a family, involve characters connected with a place, and/or tell the story from different characters’ points of view.
Austen in Austin, volume 1 by Susan Dietze, Gina Welborn, Anita Mae Draper, and Debra E. Marvin
Invitation, Cycle One of The Harbingers Series by Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, Bill Myers, and Alton Gansky
Where Tree Tops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman, and Sarah Sundin
Serialized Novellas — a series of individually published novellas (not part of a published collection) that follow a character, or group of characters, and are written by a single author.
Boo series by Rene Guttering (there are 4 in the series)
In The President’s Service series by Ace Collins (there are 14 books in this series, I have included the covers of the first 2)
Summer of The Burning Sky series by Susan May Warren (a third is due out in August)
Thematic novella collections — several novellas published together and united by a common theme or subject matter. They often involve several authors.
Among The Fair Magnolias by Tamera Alexander, Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser, and Shelley Gray
Sins of The Past by Dee Henderson, Lynette Eason, and Dani Pettrey
Standalone Novellas — a complete, unto itself story, just in novella length. I have found that there are lots of novellas published with Christmas themes — great for quick reading during a very busy time of year.
12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep
An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti
Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh
Silent Night, Deadly Night by Richard Mabry, M.D.
What is your favorite novella?
Discover four heroines in historical Austin, TX, as they find love — Jane Austen style. Volume 1 includes:
Gina Welborn writes lighthearted historicals featuring spunky heroines and wild-at-heart heroes.She can be contacted via her website 
Anita Mae Draper’s historical romances are woven under the western skies of the Saskatchewan prairie where her love of research and genealogy yields fascinating truths that layer her stories with rich historical details. Discover more at:
Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she’s the award-winning author of a dozen new and upcoming historical romances. You can visit her on her website, 
Other than writing light-hearted romances and gritty gothics, Debra E. Marvin has rather normal obsessions such as fabric, peanut butter, vacations, British dramas, and whatever mystery series she’s currently stuck on.
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