THE QUERY KOMBAT AGENT ROUND IS HERE!

Here we go! The agent round! Before you dive in, please – agents and entrants – read this post! Agents, entrants are spread out over all three blogs. You can also find them at Michelle’s blog and Mike’s blog. Blog assignment does not necessarily indicate who picked them. Agents will request by saying, “I want to see more […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 2. Irish in America, Adult historical romance

Title: Donovan Entry Nickname: Irish in America Word Count: 100,000 Genre: Adult Historical Romance Query: When Jesse Travers’ father and brother die, they leave her with two things: a crumbling ranch and a deep well of distrust. Shunned by the village for her outlaw brother’s deeds, Jesse is not sorry to hear he’s been killed […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 1. Madam Butterfly, Contemporary Romance

Title: The Absence of Butterflies Entry Nickname: Madam Butterfly Word count: 80,000 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance Query:   Will Kavanagh is the only one who knows the truth about the drug overdose that killed Christy Talbot. Not that he’s telling. The world famous actress may have starred in the film adaption of his novel, but […]

QK Agent Round: 3. The Ghost and Ms. Clair, Adult mystery

Title: Donn’s Hill Entry Nickname: The Ghost and Ms. Clair Word count: 83K Genre: Paranormal Mystery Query:  Mackenzie Clair knew her life would change when her father died, but she wasn’t expecting the grief to give her the ability to talk to the dead, or to end up chasing a murderer through the most haunted town […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 4. These Little Earthquakes, YA contemporary

Title: Where the Waves Go Entry Nickname: These Little Earthquakes Word Count: 64K Genre: YA Contemporary Query: Seventeen-year-old Charlie Elliott has always run away from life. She drinks to escape her depression, fools around with guys to ease her loneliness, and hangs out in cemeteries to avoid the living. After she’s dumped by the first […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 5. Ticket to Ride, YA Contemporary

Title: BREAKING DOWN GLASS DOORS Entry Nickname: Ticket to Ride Word count: 78K Genre: YA contemporary Query: Seventeen-year-old Jack wants to escape his narrow-minded Appalachian hometown more than anything. His family’s welfare checks pay for little more than food on the table, his mom’s pastor won’t stop lecturing him about the sinfulness of lust, and […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 6. Where’s Will Smith When We Need Him?, YA SF

Title: There’s Something About Earth Entry Nickname: Where’s Will Smith When We Need Him? Word Count: 83,000 Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Query: When Clover Martinez – 17-year-old pilot and astronaut in training – returns from a camping trip to find the human race obliterated, she knows her dreams of space have gone south.  Six months ago, alien spaceships […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 7. The President and Me, MG Contemporary

Title:  Dear Mr. President Entry Nickname: The President and Me Word Count: 34,000 Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Query: President William Shepherd is a terrible president.  At least according to eleven-year-old Spencer Dunlap, who writes those exact words in a letter to the President after he receives a letter from the White House offering condolences following his father death […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 8. The Order of Black, MG Mystery

Title: The Order of Black Hollow Lane Entry Nickname: The Order of Black Word Count: 57,000 Genre: MG Mystery Query Letter: Ginny’s mom is a world-renowned parenting expert with no parenting skills of her own. She doesn’t even give Ginny any warning before shipping her off to a boarding school right before her thirteenth birthday. […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 9. Mustache Head, MG Contemporary

Title: Split Down the Middle Entry Nickname: Mustache Head Word Count: 46,000 Genre: Upper MG Contemporary Query: As a veteran Child of Divorce, twelve-year-old Becca has developed a highly specialized set of coping skills, such as the ability to negotiate ceasefires and to maneuver between houses without losing her math books…or her marbles.   It isn’t […]

QK AGENT ROUND: 10. Play Chess, Not Checkers, MG Historical

Title: The Chess Girl Entry Nickname: Play Chess Not Checkers Word count: 66K Genre: MG Historical Fiction Query:  To win her family’s freedom, Ruchel must play the greatest chess match ever. As World War 1 begins, 7 year old Ruchel’s father is forced into the Austrian Army just before the Russian Army invades her border […]

Query Kombat ’16 Winners 1st Round

Well, Round 1 of this crazy contest officially ended Saturday night. We promised blood, and blood there was. Also tears, nail-biting, and some hair-pulling. Congratulations to all of you who fought hard and came out victorious. Please have your revised entries to us by MONDAY, June 6th at 6 pm EST. Use the same format […]