I recently asked readers in a Kindle forum what they would like to see more of in novels. Here are their answers, verbatim. Mysteries in which you are given sufficient clues to figure it out before the detective does. Humor applied like seasoning throughout the book, in narration and dialog, and of a dry or tongue-in-cheek nature. Underdogs. Romances that develop unpredictably, with all the illogical surprises real ones have. Rivals who develop respect for each other and possibly even become friends. Themes of brotherhood. A devil-may-care protagonist who doesn't get depressed (like I do) when life dumps tons of manure on them. An author who knows what s/he is writing about, and can effortlessly, comfortably “speak the language” of people from the subculture they depict. Fantasy authors who keep made-up, foreign-sounding words to a minimum. Breaking of current conventions (but not just for the sake of breaking conventions). Climaxes that live up to the hype/buildup. Science fiction...