I am a jaded reader. I've devoured so many books over so many years that it's getting harder to find make-me-want-to-weep writing. The best books -- those that earn a home on my bookshelves -- are those that surprise me. So, the real question is...

How does a writer go about surprising a reader?

1. Make the reader experience common events or objects in a new way.
Nothing delights a reader more than seeing something mundane spiffed up and sparkled into a "Wow! I never thought about it like that before." I like to call it the ol' Cinderella effect. Make connections that aren't used in everyday dialogue.

Example? He smiled, his teeth looking as if they'd been dipped in mouse-colored velvet. That's way more effective than saying the dude had rotten teeth, right?

2. Expose a negative emotion in a perspective that brings hope.
Everyone on the planet deals with ugly experiences. Everyone's got nasty emotions hiding under rocks that they'd rather not look at. It's called being human. But that doesn't mean a writer can't cast a ray of sunshine into a dark corner and say, "Hey! It's not the end of the world."

Example? Depression doesn't always have to be seen as a black pit of hopeless despair. In fact, some of the best hymns of all time were written by men while living in the dark night of the soul, such as William Cowper. Here are a few lines from God Moves in a Mysterious Way:

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread 

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

3. Weave seemingly unrelated plot threads into the fabric of the tale, revealing an eye-popping tapestry of story by the end.
Readers want to be part of the story, and the best way to accomplish that is by including them in figuring out the plot. Don't hand it to them on a silver platter, spelling out backstory and details until they run screaming the other way. Gratify them with twists and turns that they don't see coming.

Example? Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Wow. The cast of characters is enormous, yet he ties them all together in jaw-dropping style. The thing is, though, that he doesn't do it all at once. He doles out hints and clues, like breadcrumbs along the way.

Incorporate these 3 tips into your next story and who knows? Your novel just might land on my shelf.