If you would like to catch your reader off guard with a sumptuous portrayal of an event, try explaining sense perceptions in terms of another sense. That is, describe sights in terms of sounds, smells in terms of vision, touch in terms of taste.

Here is an example from C.S. Lewis:

But of course this didn’t prevent Edmund from seeing. Only five minutes later he noticed a dozen crocuses growing round the foot of an old tree — gold and purple and white. Then came a sound even more delicious than the sound of the water. (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, page 132)

Now, everyone knows that sounds aren’t delicious. Or are they? What Lewis has just done is create an alternate sensual universe for his readers to romp around in.

Let’s try this out:

  1. The lake looked like a whisper.
  2. She pulled a sunset out of the oven.
  3. His voice sounded like sweet tea on a summer afternoon.

Can you think of other examples?