Query Kombat Round 4: BE GRATEFUL FOR COOKIES v. ALABAMA WITCH HUNTERS

Title: Plus-Size Entry Nickname: Be Grateful For Cookies Word Count: 45,000 Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Query: Thirteen-year-old Lizzie will do almost anything for a cookie. Sadly, her mother banned them from her life months ago, replacing sweets with tasteless foods and a gym membership. Her mom claims it’s for her own good, even though her […]

Query Kombat Round 4: BOOK BOYS GONE WILD vs. BOY BAND NINJA ASSASSINS

Title: Paper Seeds Entry Nickname: Book Boys Gone Wild! Word Count: 109K Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy Query:  When seventeen-year-old Harlow Jackson gets dumped at her grandma Minny’s wake, she’s devastated, pissed as hell, and without an escort for the debutante season starting the very next day. But then Harlow finds something Minny left her: paper […]

Query Kombat Round 4: DELICIOUS VICIOUS CYCLES vs. HERO BY DEFAULT

Title: VERA WITH A VENGEANCE Entry Nickname: Delicious Vicious Cycles Word count: 74K Genre: YA Contemporary, Own Voices (Jewish and sexual assault survivor) Query:  Seventeen-year-old entrepreneur Vera Davis starts a business to sell revenge in VERA WITH A VENGEANCE, a 74,000-word young adult contemporary novel. When a car accident paralyzes Vera’s older brother and kills her parents, […]

Query Kombat Round 4: BOUNTY AND THE BEAST vs. GUTTERS AND GALLERIES

Title: Dangerous Beasts Entry Nickname: Bounty and the Beast Word Count: 85,000 Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance Query: Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep shit. Empty pockets force her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and the Charmers Council hires a lethal assassin to exact punishment. With […]

Query Kombat 2016 Round 4 Match-ups

Round 3 of this tournament is officially over. All kontenders fought valiantly, but alas, half of you must be knocked out. Win or lose, thanks for officially making QK the toughest query tournament in all the land. Be proud of yourselves for making it this far.  A standing ovation to those of you who fought […]

Query Kombat Round 3 Starts Now!

Here we go! Round 3! Entries are on Mike’s Blog! This round lasts until June 22nd at 8 pm.On Thursday, the hosts will call out for extra judges to come and break ties, or in case of extra close votes to try and get a more decisive margin. The entry with the most votes for Victory moves forward […]

Query Kombat Round 3 Matchups

Round three is coming up in just a few days. The round starts on June 20th at 8:00 a.m. and continues until June 22nd at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Round three will be hosted only on Mike’s blog. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave a comment or tweet us: @ravenousrushing @michelle4laughs @lh_writes. […]

Query Kombat Round 2: Take No Prisoners

Here we go! Round 2! Entries are on my blog and Michelle’s blog! This round lasts until June 16th at 8 pm.On Friday the hosts will call out for extra judges to come and break ties, or in case of extra close votes to try and get a more decisive margin.  The entry with the most […]

Query Kombat Round 2: FROM GUTTERS TO GALLERIES vs. STANDS BY UNTIL HE DOESN’T

Title: Only When I FallEntry Nickname: From Gutters to GalleriesWord count: 80KGenre: Upmarket Fiction Query: If she could find a better paying job than the Museum of Fine Arts café, Mia Clarke wouldn’t have to keep selling drugs. As a single mom, it kills her to help people throw away their dreams—especially Tris, her former partner […]

Query Kombat Round 2: LIFE AS A DUMPSTER FIRE vs. THE NOSE KNOWS

Title: ORPHAN Entry Nickname: Life as a Dumpster Fire Word Count: 103k Genre: Speculative Noir, #ownvoices Query: Jeb knows there are only two kinds of family: the ones who leave you or the ones who own you. Each time he tries to escape the crime family who raised him, he receives a strike. The smartwatch […]

Query Kombat Round 2: HERO BY DEFAULT vs. ALTERNATIVE FACTS

Title: The Mortal Coil Entry Nickname: Hero by Default Word count: 80K Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy Query: When Covington Academy’s basketball team is found comatose during practice, seventeen-year-old Aiden Milligan goes from top of the class to top of the suspect list. With a brilliant mind, extensive disciplinary record, and grudge against the team, […]

Query Kombat Round 2: THE HALF-ORPHAN’S HANDBOOK vs. BOOK BOYS GONE WILD

Title: Dead Parents Camp Entry Nickname: The Half-Orphan’s Handbook Word count: 62K Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Query: After her father’s suicide, Lila Cunningham writes a two-rule handbook to protect herself from experiencing any more pain. One: Love no one. Two: Avoid liars like her dad. Lila’s solution: barricade herself from all relationships – romantic, friendly, or otherwise. […]