Armchair BEA: Expanding Blogging Horizons and Novellas/Short Stories

Expanding Blogging Horizons 
What do you think about when you think about going beyond blogging or expanding your horizons? 

Today's prompts are SO up my alley. While I'm sure you're all sick of hearing me talk about BookTube and vlogging, I won't spend the majority of my time on that. If you're interested in learning more about vlogs, you can check out my guest post at Book Bloggers International and my channel. 


Novellas/Short Stories 
Now it is time to give a little love to those little stories in your life. Share your love for your favorite shorts of any form. 

I love the shorties...stories and novellas!!! Let's start with short stories. I know not everyone enjoys them because they often feel they're less developed and thereby less enjoyable than novels. However, I am of the mind that there's a short story collection or novella for everyone. You just have to find what works for you. 

Three of my all-time favorite short story collections are right here! If you're in the mood to be engulfed in fiction, you should try Blackbird House, by Alice Hoffman. It centers on one house and the generations of people who live there. This is perfect for creating a tangible sense of place and a cohesive collection of stories. 

The Illusion of Separateness, by Simon Van Booy, is another cohesive set of stories. These all revolve around the people affected by two WWII soldiers and the ripples their actions send through their respective family and friends. 

The Last Girlfriend on Earth, by Simon Rich, isn't a short story cycle like the previous two books, but it's one of the funniest, most clever collections I've read in a long time. These are almost "micro" stories at 2-5 pages each (ballpark), and they play on the ridiculousness of relationships in some very clever ways. 

And novellas. Oh, how I love a novella! They're easy to read in one or two sittings, and if you're afraid of missing out on a "whole" story, this might be the way to go. 

84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff, might be more fairly categorized as memoir in letters. Whatever you want to call it, it's short and heartwarming. If you love books, chances are you'll love this book. 

Dept. of Speculation, by Jenny Offill, is a slightly risky pick! It's the story of a marriage told in snippets, short paragraphs, and anecdotes by "the wife." I found it just the right amount of thinky and totally engrossing. 

We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson, is probably my favorite of the bunch. It's a quick, ominous, downright creepalicious story about some odd characters and their poisoning incident. If you're at all familiar with Shirley Jackson, this type of plot won't come as a surprise. If you haven't read it, just do it!