Michelle Hauck's Blog, page 9

QK1 Match 6: War and Redemption vs. Peace Pays What War Wins

Title: The Ones Who Loved UsEntry Nickname: War and RedemptionWord Count: 80kGenre: YA Historical
Query:
Budapest, Hungary -- 1944.
During the final months of World War II, Bekah’s grandmother calls her home from boarding school to help care for her overly critical and mentally ill mother. The army forces Bekah’s father into the labor service and then the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian Nazi party, takes her grandmother away. Bekah doesn’t know if she’s capable of holding what’s left of her family together, but she’s determined to try. Soon the Arrow Cross forces Bekah and the other Jews of Budapest into overcrowded apartments in what is the beginning of a plan to “cleanse” the city of Jewish blood.  
With most train tracks destroyed, the Arrow Cross then forces Bekah and her mother to join thousands of other Jews on a death march across Hungary. It is the middle of winter and the Arrow Cross gives them barely any food or water and makes them sleep outside on the frozen ground. On the death march, Bekah fights to keep her weary and discontented mother alive. Despite Bekah’s efforts, an officer shoots her mother and leaves her to die in a ditch along the side of the road. 
Bekah sinks into despair and feels all hope is lost, but then a daring Swedish diplomat arrives at the death march to save anyone with a protective pass. Bekah has a pass and longs to go home, but she also faces a difficult choice: whether to save herself or redeem her broken soul by saving someone else.

First 250:
It took a war to bring me back to my mother.
I sat on my bed in the middle of the dormitory and looked at the envelope. My grandmother’s handwriting was graceful and measured, just like she was. I tore through the flap in one quick movement and the fragrance of her perfume brought me back to a time long ago when I would sit on her lap and listen to her stories. I pulled out the letter.
“Dear Bekah, I think of you often and hope you’re well.”  Her greeting deceived me. It didn’t prepare me for what followed.
She said the Hungarian army had taken Papa away to a forced labor camp far outside of Budapest. 
I dropped the letter. My eyes began to fill with tears but I wiped them away, picked up the letter, and continued to read.
She said Mother’s depression had become worse. Sometimes she didn’t talk or get out of bed for days.
I pressed my lips together tightly and thought how lucky I was to live on the other side of the city at boarding school.
But there was more. I held my breath as I read the next part.
“I know how important school is to you, Bekah, and I wouldn’t ask this if I didn’t think it was absolutely necessary. Would you please come home?” 
I exhaled and struggled to breathe at a steady pace. 
I didn’t read the rest of the letter. My tears made it impossible.

VERSUS

Title: This Is No CourtyardEntry Nickname: Peace Pays What War WinsWord count: 76KGenre: YA Historical
Query:
Vuk is fourteen when the Nazis invade Yugoslavia. Unwilling to see his younger sisters grow up in a fascist country, Vuk joins the Partisans along with his older brother, Pedja. While hiding out in a hay barn, their unit is betrayed, and the brothers are arrested and sent to KZ Banjica.After weeks of brutal interrogations, Vuk and Pedja are transferred to the north of Norway to build railways and roads for the German occupiers. When they learn Vuk will be shipped to Korgen and Pedja to Beisfjord, the brothers vow to escape and meet up in neutral Sweden.But before Vuk can make good on his last promise to his brother, two other prisoners flee the Korgen-camp. The Nazis’ reprisals are swift and brutal: thirty-nine men are picked at random and mowed down with machine guns, while Vuk and the other prisoners are forced to watch.As the Norwegian winter sets in, the conditions in camp worsen. Work on the road is hard, food is scarce, and the prisoners only have the clothes they came in. Emaciated and scared out of his mind, Vuk realizes if he’s to survive and ever meet his brother again, he has to escape. But running means sending dozens of his comrades to certain death.THIS IS NO COURTYARD is based on narrations from Yugoslavian Partisans who managed to escape the Norwegian death camps and some of the people who helped them.
First 250:
The man strolls down the dirt road in no particular hurry, and I wonder who died to put that smile on his face. It is chilly tonight, but the sky is clear. The midnight sun sets the fjord on fire and highlights the gold in the bastard’s hair. He’s casually dressed in a brown air man jacket and loose-fitted trousers that billow in the breeze. One of his hands clutches a sixpence-hat, swinging gaily in cadence with his steps. The other is tucked into his trouser pocket. I don’t know if he’s armed, but who cares? He’s been drinking, and that will work in my favor.
I’m well hidden among the trees lining the road. Their mid-summer foliage tangles together, creating a dense wall of green, the perfect lookout. When he passes, I follow. The rustle of the wind masks the sound of my steps. Still he senses me and turns. It doesn’t matter. I’ll make my presence known soon enough.
Peering into the thicket, he sways ever so slightly, but he keeps both feet on the ground. My heart speeds up--in anticipation, I guess. This is it. I would recognize him anywhere. The slim nose, the smug mouth, and those eyes like the northern fjords. He’s handsome in that Scandinavian way. Fair, lean, tall. Clean cut features that would make a woman look pretty as well. A cliché of a man, if ever there was one, but what’s not to like?
Fucking Nazi.

QK1 Match 7: No Heroes Here vs. Twisted Red Riding Hood

Title: Following ShadowsEntry Nickname: No Heroes HereWord Count: 94KGenre: Adult Fantasy, OwnVoices
Query:
Kieron Lawson is a dashing hero on a quest to save the damsel in distress...in his dreams. In reality, he’s a socially awkward lord with a penchant for heroic fables and an aversion to touch. Determined to discover his destiny, he makes a deal with his family: in exchange for permission to leave home on his own and attend the royal tournament, he’ll finally choose a bride.
Before the tourney even begins, a royal favor is stolen from Kieron’s grasp. Chasing down the thief earns him a private meeting with the princess and the hope of his very own happily ever after. When the princess slips into a deep sleep after being poisoned, Kieron is promised her hand in marriage if he can retrieve a cure from a forbidden land.
The fairytale falls apart when Kieron’s company abandons him, and the only person he can find to guide him through the forbidden lands is the thief who stole from him—a man named Eidolon, who inspires feelings Kieron doesn’t understand and can’t control. When dangerous opposition and Kieron’s own temper threaten to derail the mission completely, he finds himself faced with a choice to be the hero and save the princess, or follow his feelings and save the thief.
Imagine a classic medieval fairytale, where the charming prince is an asexual man on the Autism spectrum who falls for a male companion, rather than the princess he sets out to save.

First 250:
Hollowness spread through Kieron Lawson’s chest as he stared out the lancet window. Lunch had not gone well, but he couldn’t imagine why. He’d done everything by the book.
“Must you keep doing this?” asked Viscount Lawson, tapping his fingers against the table.
“Why do you assume I did anything?” Kieron kept his eyes on the horizon. The sun shining on the wheat field was almost blinding. Cumaro’s farmlands seemed to stretch on forever. By now, he’d all but memorized every golden stalk and hay bale.
“Lady Voss left in tears.”
Father’s methodical drumming sounded like a ticking clock.“I don’t know why.” Kieron shrugged, thumbing his cold metal tankard. As his etiquette text dictated, he’d nodded politely as the lady spoke, though he couldn’t remember what she’d said. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes, that’s exactly the trouble. She says you sat silently for the majority of the meeting, staring at the wall behind her. Then when you did say something, you called her by the wrong name.”
Kieron turned away from the window. “You mean her name isn’t Liza?”
The rhythmic tapping skipped a beat. “No. Her name is not Liza. We’ve known the Voss family for years. How do you not know the girl’s name?” The drumming grew louder. “And did you have to tell her you didn’t like her dress?”
Kieron cocked his head at his father’s squat frame and frowned. He’d answered a question when asked. What else should he have done?
“She asked if I liked it, and I said no.”


VERSUS


Title: Amirah and the Red ScarfEntry Nickname: Twisted Red Riding HoodWord count: 86kGenre: Adult Fantasy 
Query:
AMIRAH AND THE RED SCARF will appeal to fans of GRIMM and is a contemporary fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest similar to PATRICIA BRIGGS' MERCY THOMPSON SERIES.

Protected by an enchanted red scarf, twenty-three-year-old Vidjeti hunter Amirah, tracks and slays the wolf-like demons known as Kurjak. For centuries, these nightmarish creatures have inhabited human hosts, assuming their lives for one year before seeking a new victim.

When Amirah's first solo hunting mission goes awry, she returns home to witness her grandmother in the clutches of an enormous Kurjak. In a desperate attempt to save her grandmother's life, she gives it what it seeks: a sacred family book, only to watch as her grandmother is murdered. Left despondent and alone, she struggles to maintain her semblance at a normal life. However, Amirah's plans are soon shattered when an unexpected attack leaves her possessed by a Kurjak. Rescued by another Vidjeti, the mysterious and handsome Liam O’Malley. Sent to find her, Liam both opens Amirah's eyes (and heart) to an intriguing and vast world of Vidjeti outside her own.

When Liam is captured, Amirah is forced to make a terrible decision. For a chance to save Liam from certain death and reclaim her family's book, she must forfeit her magical red scarf. Problem is it's her only defense against the evil creature now living inside her from assuming complete control.


First 250:The sweet aromas of freshly baked baklava and cinnamon buns swirled around Amirah and her grandmother as they stepped out of the bakery and into the chill evening air. Amirah's grandmother placed her hand on her elbow. Startled by the unexpected touch, Amirah turned to face her.
Shadow clouded her grandmother's face as she spoke. “Here, Scre,” she said, calling Amirah by her Serbian nickname, meaning “heart”. “You will need this tonight. ” She untied the red scarf from under her chin, gently removing it from her silver-colored hair.
Amirah looked down as her grandmother held it out to her, the red silk draped over the old woman's gnarled fingers. “What are you talking about, Baka? You’re coming with me.”
Shaking her head slowly, her grandmother looked up toward Amirah with deep brown eyes, a shade darker than Amirah’s. She sighed. “No, not tonight, Srce.”
Furrowing her brows, Amirah pressed, “But you always hunt with me?”
“I know,” she said and gave her a warm smile. “But you’re ready now. I’ve taught you everything I can. My eyes do not see as clear as they once did. I fear my presence during the hunt this year would only place you at great risk. You’re a woman now, Srce. You knew this day would come. Tonight, you must do this on your own.”Her grandmother placed the scarf in Amirah's hands, forcing her fingers to close over the silk fabric. A shiver of magic rippled through the scarf, tingling Amirah's palms.

QK1 Match 8: Hungry Ocean Gods vs. Farmer Jack is Trapped in a Carrot

Title: TidepoolEntry Nickname: Hungry Ocean GodsWord count: 77KGenre: Adult Dark Fantasy Query: 
In 1913, Sorrow Hamilton is searching for her vanished brother Henry. Defying her father’s orders to remain home, she travels to the last place Henry is known to have visited – Tidepool.
After corpses wash up on the shore looking as if they’ve been torn apart by something not quite human, Sorrow is ready to run back to Baltimore and let her father send in the professional detectives. But then she encounters Mrs. Ada Oliver, a widow quite unlike the other Tidepool residents. 
A visit to Mrs. Oliver’s home and a terrifying encounter with the daughter Mrs. Oliver keeps in her basement lead to Sorrow’s discovery of a dark secret: the sacrifices Mrs. Oliver makes protect Tidepool from the horrifying creatures living in the ocean. If the Lords Below don’t get their tributes, they will rise.  
Sorrow wants to get justice for her brother, but doing so could doom all the town’s residents. And the denizens of Tidepool—human and otherwise—are hell bent on making sure Sorrow never leaves. 

First 250:
Tidepool looked like the kind of place where people went to die, not to live. 
After less than a day there, Henry Hamilton had already seen enough. His father had settled on the little oceanside town as a possible location for a beach resort. Henry’s colleague and friend Charlie Sherman returned from the place completely high on the idea, but as Henry strolled around Tidepool’s dirt streets he couldn’t understand their enthusiasm. 
The only thing about Tidepool that Henry found impressive was the brick mansion that sat atop a high hill overlooking the town and the Atlantic. The enormous, elaborate house looked like someone had dropped it in from another, wealthier place.
The rest of Tidepool was all rusted metal signs and fading paint on wooden buildings that had long since warped in the town’s pervasive dampness. The ramshackle stores lining the main street looked like they might collapse into splinters and planks if Henry gave them a good swift kick. 
He was starting to want to. 
The vast, sprawling cemetery that Henry passed did little to improve his opinion of the place. Rows of mossy headstones stretched back as far as he could see, and the graveyard appeared larger than the town itself. 
Well, that’s a swell sight to greet visitors, he thought. 

The pervasive odors of salt water and fish wafted off the nearby ocean but another smell lurked underneath those, something even less pleasant. Henry couldn’t identify it, but it reminded him somewhat of the stench of a dead animal rotting in the woods.
VERSUS
Title: Chang and the Transdimensional CarrotEntry Nickname: Farmer Jack is Trapped in a CarrotWord count: 115KGenre: Adult Portal Fantasy
Query: 
Jack Avens is having a bad day. His back aches, his dog is missing, and his neighbour has trapped him in a carrot.
After thirty years of vegetable farming, Jack is ready to retire alongside his wife, Fern, and his dog, Chang. After a wretched day in the fields, culminating in the disappearance of his beloved dog, he discovers what appears to be an ordinary carrot. He picks it up, intending to toss it into the compost pile, but is transported to another realm instead.
Jack learns his loathsome neighbour and farming rival, Hal Stormthord, is responsible for pulling him into this strange dimension. Hal has secretly been in love with Fern for decades. Feeling bitter and wronged, he has decided to trap both Jack and Chang in his carrot-world. He hopes their loss will drive Fern into his arms. 
But Jack has his skeletons, too. In addition to stealing the woman Hal loves, he’s guilty of sabotaging Hal’s farm and driving him to alcoholism. 
Meanwhile, Fern has discovered the carrot back in the real world and plans on eating it for dinner. If she consumes it, Jack and Chang will be lost forever. Jack must now confront his dark past in order to escape with Chang before Fern finishes her dinner and dooms them both to eternity in the carrot.

First 250:
Something was wrong with Jack. Or rather, something was wrong with his perception of reality today.
Grimacing, he held a hand up to his nose. Although he had been starving, the decrepit smell of the chicken coop baking in the afternoon sun was enough to turn his stomach. He usually gathered the eggs after breakfast, but there had been an emergency this morning. The farm’s temperamental potato digger was refusing to cooperate. Jack was the only one on the farm capable of fixing it. Before he knew it, the entire morning passed by and he had missed lunch.
It wasn’t just time that seemed to be slipping away, he reflected as he collected the eggs. It was as if the entire world was as well. He had a terrible, underlying impression a great dimensional shift had occurred, and his farm was at the hub of it. The feeling had taken hold like an invasive weed, its roots spreading deep as the morning progressed.
During breakfast, his wife joked that he must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Jack had merely rolled his eyes at this. With his arthritic knees, lower back pain, and hip replacement, he had been waking up on the wrong side of the bed for the past decade. 
Jack Avens did not feel like he had woken up on the wrong side of the bed; rather, he felt he had woken up in the wrong bed, period.

QK1 Match 9: I'll Stand Bayou vs. Neurotic Aliens in Manhattan

Title: Warden of the LostEntry Nickname: I'll Stand BayouWord Count: 99KGenre: Adult Southern Gothic Fantasy
Query:  Thaddeus Fortier is a Warden of New Orleans, guardian and peacekeeper to all things that go bump in the bayou. The job’s got terrible benefits: zero sick days, no dental, and it comes with a sort of compulsive conscience to keep Wardens walking the straight and narrow. Murder, mayhem, even little white lies—all off the table for the City’s chosen guardians. Which is downright problematic for a man like Thad, who’s hell-bent on avenging the murders of his mother and brother. He’s got the whodunit down; all signs point to the City’s resident racketeer, a bougie backwater baron named Papa Ru. The trick is convincing Mama Nola that there’s more to Thad’s mission than a good old-fashioned revenge plot—preferably before Papa Ru makes good on his promise to turn Thad into gator bait.
Thad’s got a plan. Wardens and supernaturals are going missing in New Orleans, and turning up dead if they turn up at all. It stinks of Papa Ru and his one-man war on all things otherworldly, and if Thad can connect the dots back to him, it might be just what he needs to convince the City to let him have his vengeance. But with Papa Ru’s threat hanging over his head, and more pissed-off supernaturals than he can stir with a stick, it might just be Thad who’s next on the list of the lost.
WARDEN OF THE LOST is a mash-up of Elmore Leonard’s whackjob crime novels and Neil Gaiman’s darkly bizarre supernatural stories, and would appeal to fans of fantasy, horror, and magical realism alike.

First 250
The taxi driver blinked at me in the rearview with glazed-over eyes. “Where to?” he asked. His voice had the dull monotone of somebody who’d said the same two words so many times they’d stopped sounding like words. Just reflex, now. The bless you after a sneeze that just wouldn’t quit.Three pine tree fresheners dangled from the mirror, and I still smelled something rancid-sweet wafting up from the upholstery.“Belle Knoll cemetery,” I said.The driver’s eyebrows ticked up toward his hairline. “Funeral?”“Yeah.” Not exactly tough math to do: black suit, dark tie, headed to a graveyard. It was the kind of no-shit question that begged for a sarcastic answer, but I’d lost my sense of humor with my luggage at the last layover.I looked away from the rearview to watch the airport traffic give way to good old New Orleans highway. Flat land, green grass, that unlikely mix of palm trees and crepe myrtles growing side-by-side—I’d figured I wouldn’t ever see it again, but the City had her own ideas. And Lord, she could be a real bitch about getting her way.“Friend or relative?” the driver asked. The question fell on the wrong side of personal, but neither of us batted an eye. Taxi drivers are the bartenders of the road: you sit in their seats, you tell them your woes, and you walk away with a lighter heart—and a lighter wallet. It’s a pine-scented taste of everyday magic, and it’s true what they say: all magic has a price.
VERSUS
Title: Going NativeEntry Nickname: Neurotic Aliens in NYCWordcount: 94kGenre: Adult Sci-fi
Query
Lance has a good life in New York City . . . until he learns his home planet is planning to colonize and has to decide whose side he’s on. In a panic over losing everything he’s come to love about Earth––including his human girlfriend––Lance tells a lie to put off the colony, saying the planet has been ravaged by earthquakes and using the movie San Andreas as “evidence.”
Just one little lie, but it has consequences. Lance’s planet, Xaclan, is in political turmoil.  Without the distraction of a new colony, the government is taken over by a power-hungry general with a fondness for beheadings. Lance’s sister and her wife, a high-up-official in the former government, flee to Manhattan with their children and take up residence in the Ritz-Carlton––a situation made trickier by the fact that Lance’s sister-in-law, unlike the rest of them, refuses to transfer into a human body.
When Lance and his fellow scouts, Katy and Matt, are notified that additional, unknown fugitives are roaming the city and a retrieval team has been sent after them, it seems unlikely that Lance’s lie will remain unnoticed. If the new government learns the truth, they’ll send a colony to raze the planet and round up all the humans, pausing just long enough to arrest Lance and take him back to Xaclan to be executed.
Lance always knew his time on Earth could be cut short at any moment. With the end looming ever closer, the life he’s built––and the humans he’s come to love––feel more important than ever. If he does nothing, then sooner or later he’ll lose everything. But if he tries to take action, he may just lose what little time he has left.
First 250 Words
“You're supposed to try and look normal.”
Katy turned to discover Lance had come up behind her while she was sorting through mail in the lobby of her apartment. “Running downstairs to get the mail in your pajamas is normal.” She looked him up and down. “Spending an hour on your hair and wearing $300 jeans on a Tuesday? Not so much.”
“Hey, I’m just playing the part. I gotta be Lance. And Lance––” he flicked an imaginary fleck of dust off one sleeve and straightened his immaculately-pressed cuffs “––knows how to dress.”
Looking up, he discovered she’d thrown her mail in the recycling and was heading towards the elevator. He hurried after her, turning to face forward as the door slid shut.
They were both average-looking humans, the kind you wouldn’t look at twice. Lance was a twenty-something black guy with fashionable clothes and carefully styled curls. You wouldn’t be surprised to learn he told people he was “in fashion“ but really worked part-time at an upscale clothing store in Tribeca––though you might wonder how he could afford all those clothes on an hourly wage.
Beside him, Katy was about the same age, with pale skin and messy brown hair. She wore fluffy pink slippers, pajamas with tiny hearts on them, and a short bathrobe over top. You wouldn’t be surprised to learn she was a blogger––though you might wonder how she could afford such a nice apartment.
You might also wonder what they were doing together in an elevator at ten a.m. on a weekday.

Query Kombat 1st Round Matchups

Our 64 kombatants have been revealed. Now, it's time to find out who you'll be going against in Round 1. Use the #QueryKombat hashtag to find your opponent on Twitter. Trash-talk is okay, just keep it friendly!



Quick reminder: The first round one kicks off at 8am on June 1st. It'll be hosted across all three blogs! Visit this post for commenting guidelines.

Winners and host saves will be allowed to revise before the agent round. We suggest you get an early start on the changes you want to make because you won't have much time. 







On Kara's Blog

Capes and Clorox vs Pollyanna Saves the World Planet Panic vs Robot Hacker Girl
Feminist Rumpelstiltskin Reimagining vs You Octopi My Heart
A Boy Named Pez vs Not Missing. On the Moon
Carrion My Wayward Son vs The Kids Aren't Alright
Eradicated vs Canary Girl
Cowboys vs Zombie Pirates vs Dream a Little Bigger, Darling
#SexEd vs Fate Doesn't Care About Your Plans
Fire, Magma, & Metal vs God's Dead, Now What?
Punk Rock Waitress Rules vs Absalom, Absalom! 




On Mike's blog
Raspberry Moon vs The Principal is One of Them
Sister Witches Who Kick Butt vs Hell in a Handbasket
GG: Found Family vs Cake N' Books
Don't Mess with an Assassin Mom vs Found Wanting
Tequila Mockingbird vs O Sister, Where Art Thou?
I Wish I Was White vs Bite Me, PTSD
Short Girls Pack More Sass vs I Found a Magic Stone in Paris
I Can Keep a Secret vs Shiver Me Timbers
Dr. Wannabe Ballerina vs Got Me a Daddy Map
Swimming with the Amoebas vs I Kidnapped the Prom Queen
Why Are You So Obsessed w/ Me? vs Cherry and Ben Camp and Kiss
Lady CEOs Are Sexy Too vs Mississippi Amnesia



On Michelle's blog
Unnaturally Dyed Boutonniere vs How Not to Be a Nazi Peace Pays What War Wins vs War and Redemption
My Babysitter is a Skeleton vs A Deep Choice
#HackTheVoid vs The Jo and Empty Show
Fake Invisibility T-Shirt vs Einstein Stinks
This Wasn't in the Job Contract vs Never-Beings
Trapped in My Worst Day Ever vs Love in the Time of Prosciutto
Hungry Ocean Gods vs Farmer Jack is Trapped in a Carrot
Neurotic Aliens in Manhattan vs I'll Stand Bayou
No Heroes Here vs Twisted Red Riding Hood



BEST OF LUCK KOMBATANTS!



Thanks to Kara for creating a picture of the bracket:

2018 Kombatants Announced!

So many genres. So many possibilities. So much excellence.  

The choice was hard. Each of the hosts agonized, weighing this query against that 250. There were so many great entries. Of course, making it into a contest is no indication of the quality of your query. Many people who don't make it into contests find agents the tried-and-true way, by querying. (Me.) Thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who made the Twitter party so fun!

To those who didn't make it into the tournament, you donned your armor and dared to dreamed of victory. You boldly walked into an arena filled with 400+ gladiators, and you didn't so much as flinch or break a sweat. There are none braver than those who try, fail, and try again. I'm begging you to be brave, because all you need is talent and drive. Luck and success will follow. Don't give up. Don't doubt yourself.

You will succeed. All you have to do is believe in yourself.

To those who made it--CONGRATULATIONS! Out of 400+ entries, you made it into the top 64. You bit, you clawed, you bled, and you MADE IT!  Celebrate! And do it loud. And in the midst of your celebration, I want you to help me lift the spirits of those who didn't make it. We're more than a community; we're a family. So spread the love.

The matchups of who you will face will be coming shortly. Watch the blogs.

Now for Michelle's Magnificent Misfits. Mike and Kara's picks will be up when they are ready. To see Mike's and Kara's picks, check out their blogs. 

Kombatants don't miss the rules on judging and commenting included at the bottom of this post. If you're on this list you must comment on six matchups in round one. 

Note these are nicknames and not titles.

Adult:

Fire, Magma, and Metal
Cherry and Ben Camp and Kiss
Don't Mess with an Assassin Mom
Lady CEOs are Sexy Too
Punk Rock Waitress Rules
Tequila Mockingbird



Young Adult:


Sister Witches Who Kick Butt
Cake N' Books
You Mustn't Be Afraid to Dream a Little Bigger, Darling
I Found a Magic Stone in Paris
#SexEd
The Kids Aren't Alright
I Wish I Was White
I Kidnapped the Prom Queen 4 Spring Break
Eradicated


Middle Grade:

Feminist Rumpelstiltskin Reimagining
I Can Keep A Secret
Dr. Wanna Be Ballerina
A Boy Named Pez
Raspberry Moon
Planet Panic


If you are on this list, please check in with me on twitter or by email so I know you saw your nickname. 


Important Information for Kombatants:
The first round will start on Friday, June 1st on all three blogs. We will try to post all the match-ups by 8:00 am EST, but please don’t rush to comment for reasons we will spell out under the judging section.
There will be 64 Kombatants (including one free pass winner) and these will be paired into 32 posts for the first round. Yes, we will try to match age categories  and genres together. This will totally depend on numbers. As you can imagine, we received a much lesser number of MG entries and a much greater number of YA entries. We’ll do the best we can to make the match-ups fair, but we are not limiting our Kombatant picks by requiring so many numbers of each age group. We are picking what we think are the best entries. 

In the event a Kombatant has to drop out of Query Kombat there will be two possibilities. If they drop out before the first round begins, they will be replaced with an alternate Kombatant contestant. (Alternate Kombatants will not be announced beforehand. We don’t want people hoping someone drops out. We may announce them after the contest ends.) 
If a Kombatant drops out after the contest has started, their opponent automatically advances to the next round. Any Kombatant who receives an offer of representation will please notify us so we may withdraw them. Receiving a full request or partial is not grounds for withdrawal.
Judging:
Our fantastic judges will give their votes under their assumed nicknames in order to be able to vote honestly and freely. Go <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}</style></div></div></div>--><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; table-layout: fixed; width: 0px;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt... width="125"></col><col width="207"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 1st - 4th - QK Round 1"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 1st - 4th - QK Round 1</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 24px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 7th -11th - QK Agent Round"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 7th -11th - QK Agent Round</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 13th - 16th - QK Round 2"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 13th - 16th - QK Round 2</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 19th - 21st - QK Round 3"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 19th - 21st - QK Round 3</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 24rd - 25th - QK Round 4"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 24rd - 25th - QK Round 4</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 27th - 28th - QK Round 5"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 27th - 28th - QK Round 5</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"June 30th - July 1st - QK Round 6"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">June 30th - July 1st - QK Round 6</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr><tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"July 2nd - QK Wrap Up/Awards"}" style="border-right-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9pt; overflow: visible; padding: 2px 0px; vertical-align: bottom;"><div style="left: 3px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 328px;"><div style="float: left;">July 2nd - QK Wrap Up/Awards</div></div></td><td style="overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Judges will vote as follows: <i>VICTORY to Kombatant nickname.</i>  Then they may give more information as to why they voted that way. How much feedback they give is completely up to that judge. There are a lot of entries to read and a lot of rounds to go through. This is a long contest. But we’re sure the judges will do a fantastic job of sharing their thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To prevent favoritism, the judges have agreed <b>not</b> to vote on match-ups where they are close friends to a Kombatant or where they have beta read or critique partnered. Due to the length of this contest, judges have been assigned to rounds and may decide not to vote in all the rounds. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the event of a matchup vote <b>tie</b>, we'll call for more judges, then the round host will cast the tie-breaker vote if necessary. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now here comes the unique and important part!  We would like the judges’ votes to be easily located. Therefore, we are asking the judges to place their votes as a <b>reply</b> to the first comment in each match-up post. As soon as all the match-up posts are live, the round host will go through and made a first comment. Something like: <i>This comment is reserved for judges’ votes. Please do not reply to this comment unless you are a judge.</i> Then the judges can do their thing and leave their votes as replies to that comment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>BUT in order for this to work, people cannot rush to comment.</b> The hosts have to have time to get the first comment up on all 10 or 11 posts of the first round and subsequent rounds. No matter how excited you are to share your feedback, please give the host time to get the first comment done before you comment. Any other first comments but the hosts’ will be deleted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We understand that everyone is human and votes may not end up in the proper spot. All judges’ votes will count no matter where they end up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.1333px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.1333px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Commenting:</b></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.1333px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.1333px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.1333px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Due to the nature of the head-to-head competition, commenting is a delicate subject. We don’t want feelings hurt. We don’t want people to go away angry. 32 people will be knocked out in the first round. That is brutal. And like any contest of this nature, the results will be subjective. Wonderful entries will be eliminated. Because not everyone will be seen by an agent, we do want to allow commenting as that may be the only feedback a query and first 250 entry will get.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Therefore, especially in the first round, we want a ton of comments. And we want those comments to be super constructive and helpful. In other words, be specific. Don’t just rave about a Kombatant’s entry like a fangirl/guy. Tell us why you liked it. Mention things like the query set out the mc’s motivation and stakes clearly, the query had a super voice, the query was confusing because…, the pages really showed the mc’s personality because…, the page felt flat because…, the concept was unique because…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please no cheerleading comments in the first round or second round. (Friendly cheerleading will be allowed in the final rounds.) In the early rounds, if you want to cheer on your friends and CPs, do it on twitter. Try and give equal time to both Kombatants in a match-up. Don’t let someone be left out. If you see a match-up that isn’t getting many comments, we ask that you jump in and do your stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We don’t want this contest to only be about fun and agents. We want all the entries to get helpful advice to make their queries and page stronger. Please remember this and be kind and thoughtful. Writers are amazing people. They go out of their way to help. We are sure we can count on you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Enough preaching. Here are some more commenting rules:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We would like each Kombatant to give feedback on at least 6 match-ups.</b>You’re on your honor system here, we won’t be monitoring this. We’ve got enough to do. We’d also like each person who entered Query Kombat to leave at least one comment on a match-up, but feel free to do many more! And please we ask that Kombatants who are eliminated, come back and leave comments on the next round. We still want to hear what you think.  We need <b>you</b> to make this contest a success!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kombatants, please <b>don’t</b> comment on your own entry, whether that is to thank people or to explain/rationalize your entry. There will be so many comments that we ask you to wait until <b>the last day of voting</b> to offer thanks or congratulate someone, or leave any other type of comment on your own entry. If you want to thank people before the last day of voting, twitter is the place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are counting on there being no hard feeling comments. If there are, they will be deleted. We warned you’ll need a thick skin and it’s true. But we believe this can be done in a friendly manner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Getting knocked out of the contest or not getting picked is no indication of a story’s quality. After all, we only have snapshots to go upon. All the hosts are very excited for Query Kombat to start, and we hope you are too. Feel free to leave us questions in the comments or just shout out your excitement. Follow us on twitter for more updates. </span></div></div>

Query Kombat Sub Day 2018!

The submission window is OPEN FROM 9:00 AM TODAY until May 18 at noon EDT. There is no cap on entries.


If you don't receive email confirmation within an hour of submitting your entry, check spam, and then contact us via Twitter and let us know. Kontestants will be revealed on May 25, and the tournament will kick off on June 1.
IMPORTANT: The Query Kombat team reserves the right to disqualify any entrant at any time for any reason. If an entrant is disqualified before the agent round, an alternate will take its place. If an entrant is disqualified after the agent round, the opposing entry will automatically advance to the next round. The only time we will ever disqualify an applicant is if you say or do something to blemish the spirit of query contests. Query Kombat is supposed to be fun…  Or if you get an offer from an agent. Please notify us if you do. 

So none of this!
In order to enter the contest you MUST follow formatting guidelines, and submit during the contest window. All entries that follow said guidelines will be considered.


The Query Kombat Tournament is open only to unagented writers seeking representation. Your manuscript must be complete, polished, and ready to submit.

If your manuscript has been in the agent round of another major contest within the last four months, you are not eligible to participate in Query Kombat. Please don’t try to sneak in. The QK team includes about a hundred industry professionals, and a few hundreds of spectators. Someone will notice and inform us. If you're unsure if a contest qualifies as major, contact us through Twitter before submission.
Submissions for MG, YA, NA, and Adult works will be accepted (Sorry we aren't accepting Picture books or Chapter Books this year.). Only one entry per person. Do not attempt to submit more than one entry by using different email accounts. Again, the QK family is huge. Someone will notice. 
In the event that we receive more than the available 64 spots (this is highly expected), Michelle, Mike, and Kara will savagely attack the slush pile in attempts to build the best team. We will pick (and announce) three alternates in case a submission is disqualified.
Entries should be sent to:  QueryKombat (at) gmail (dot) com.
Formatting Guidelines:
Font: Times New Roman (or an equivalent), 12pt font, single-spaced with spaces between each paragraph. No (I repeat: NO!) indentations.

Subject line of the Email: A short, unique nickname for your entry [colon] your genre (audience included). Do not skip this step or your entry will be deleted. (ex. I Fell in Love with a Ken Doll: Adult Erotica). Nicknames should be 25 characters or less. Make it as unique as possible so there are no duplicates. These will be the names used in the tournament, so keep it PG-13 and make it relate to your story.
In the body of the email (with examples):
Name: Michael AnthonyEmail address: myboyfriendwasbittenbyashark (at) gmail (dot) com.
Twitter Handle: @BarbforSenate36

Title: Eunuchs and PoliticsEntry Nickname: I Fell in Love with a Ken DollWord count: 68KGenre: Adult Erotica (Note Ownvoices here if applicable only) 
Query: 
Barbara B. Doll seemed like a woman who had it all, from the perfect body to her own dream house, McDonald's, and a variety of vehicles. She even managed to become a U.S. Senator and go to the moon! However, something seemed missing. She didn't have any idea what it was until she met Ken.
Ken Dahl is funny, good-looking, and may have ties to the Illuminati. Barbara is immediately drawn to his shiny, perfect hair and teeth. When he offers to teach her surfing, they hit it off instantly. Everything seems to be going perfectly until Barbara discovers Ken has no genitalia. She must search within herself to determine whether love can overcome plastic, non-removable underwear.
EUNUCHS AND POLITICS is adult erotica, complete at 68,000 words.


First 250:

Words, words, words. 250 of them, in fact.
Don't include the chapter title and please, don't stop in the middle of a middle of a sentence. If the 250th word puts you in the middle of a sentence, you may go up to 258 to finish that sentence. Do not abuse this rule. Both Pages and Google Docs will return incorrect word counts if you have hyphens, em-dashes, and ellipses. Microsoft Word counts correctly. 

Please use this site to give you an accurate word count if you are concerned about your standard word counter: https://wordcounter.net/. If you must, count by hand. A properly hyphenated word is one word. Words separated by an em-dash or ellipse are two words.
Do not include a bio or comp title in the query.
All entries submitted are FINAL. We will not edit them in any way, shape, or form. Please read, reread, and rereread your submission before you hit send. Competition will be fierce.

Best of luck in the tournament!



TWITTER PARTY!

Contests need to be fun. To help keep you from worrying as the hosts read through the emails, we're having a party! These are the daily topics, but feel free to start your own as well.


May 16th  Tweet your category and genre. Ask questions about genre if you’re unsure where your manuscript fits.
May 17th  Nerves and jitters can be calmed by sharing with others. All day long tweet out what your entry Nickname is and why you chose it.
May 18th   Last Day of submissions! Judges get fun secret names. Entrants get to create nicknames. Your poor hosts are left out. Create nicknames for Kara, Michael and Michelle!  (Keep it clean. We blush easily.) And tweet your favorite comp title.
May 19th    Tweet your main character’s name and a special tidbit about them. See what sorts of names are popular and if anyone else shares MC’s names with you.  
May 20th    Tweet what your writing weakness. Everyone should know their weaknesses. For example, I tend to avoid adding conflict. Have to make myself threaten my characters. We won't hold weakness against you because we all have them.
May 21st   Let's talk books. Reading in your genre is important. What are you reading now and what's your favorite book? 
May 22nd     Tweet something about how you write. Do you use music or prefer silence? Morning or late at night? We celebrate our differences.
May 23rd     Tweet us your villain’s name and something evil about them.
May 24th      If you’re looking for some beta readers or CP, now is the time to tweet about it. Also Tweet us your favorite line from your novel. If you read any you like, favorite it. Have any favorite lines from a novel that’s not yours? Tweet those too!
May 25th   The big reveal day.  Tweet your thanks to the agents, editors, and judges of Query Kombat 2016. They’re dedicating a lot of time to help out. The least we can do is take a day to celebrate them!  (We'll be running around like crazy gerbils getting everything ready.)
And don't hesitate to start your own topics on #QueryKombat. Get inventive but keep it fun and friendly. 

Query Kombat Judge Nicknames 2018

Since the kontestants get to invent amazing nicknames, naturally the judges want one, too! Plus it lets them vote with more freedom. To recognize our wonderful judges and know the vote is legit, here is a list of the nicknames they have chosen:


Good Janet
Ebony Maw
Bowser
Discount Wonder Woman
Theofani
Red Ink Slinger
Mrs. Will Herondale
Vanellope
Wordthulhu
BookJava
Love & Squalor
Literary Lady
Jennyanydots
Wonder Woman
Hobbes
Mabel Pines
Frozen Veal
Rainbow Brite
Ginger
No One of Consequence
Altered Carbon
Picky Peruser
Thaddeus Spinster
Earthbound Misfit
Bella
Piano Ninja
The Queen of Thorns
To the Sword 159
SylpheWings
Mrs. Winchester
Jumping Jellybean
The Red Cardigan
Gallowspider
Princess Falafel
Lady Acacia
Barn Owl
Arachnophile
Sonya Blade
QueryPoppins


It's fantastically fun to be silly sometimes and our judges had a blast choosing these names. We hope you'll have fun choosing an inventive nickname for your story!

And speaking of fun!

The chance to chat with our judges is Monday, May 14th and Saturday, May 19th!
Join us on the hashtag #QKChat at 3:00 pm EST and 8:00 pm EST on May 14 and 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm EST on May 19th to ask questions about the contest and writing in general. You can ask writers who are further along on their journey what submission is like or how they promo or what they said during their call. Just don't ask them to reveal their secret nickname. :-) 
Remember submission for Query Kombat is just a few days away on Wednesday, May 16th.
We've added a few special judges who are going to help with just the first round. Their nicknames are included up above. Here they are:
Sarah Remy


Sarah Remy writes fantasy for HarperImpulse and NineStar Press. Sarah lives on the dry side of Washington State with three dogs, four chickens, and two horses. Every morning Sarah takes time over coffee to think about the next generation, the challenges they face, and how best to protect them against oppression and adversity. Sarah can be found at sarahremy.com or on Twitter @sarahremywrites.


Ed Ashton


Edward Ashton lives with his adorably mopey dog, his inordinately patient wife, and a steadily diminishing number of daughters in Rochester, New York, where he studies new cancer therapies by day, and writes about the awful things his research may lead to by night. He is the author of the novels Three Days in April and The End of Ordinary, as well as several dozen short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from Fireside Magazine and Escape Pod to the newsletter of an Italian sausage company. Please be nice to him. Odds are, he's had a very long day.
http://www.edwardashton.com
https://www.amazon.com/Edward-Ashton/e/B013MMTI1E











Erin Foster Hartley


Erin Foster Hartley is a YA author whose work explores themes of family and identity in unexpected ways. She was a mentor for Pitch Wars '17 and Teen Pit '18, and she has led teen writing workshops for the Iowa Youth Writing Project. Erin is represented by Melissa Nasson of Rubin Pfeffer Content.

TwitterWebsite

Roundup of Editing Posts

I've done a lot of posts filled with advice. Some of them are rather old. Most were written after I noticed trends from a contest. All are completely buried and hard to find unless you use the editing label. But all are still relevant. 

So I thought I'd repeat this general list of the different blurbs on writing and querying advice. 

I highly recommend the posts on filtering and hyphens. Also the post on punctuation for a tag or beat. Those are problems I see on entries every year. 

I hope these are helpful! 

General Advice:
Quick twitter advice
Reading in your Genre
List of SFF subgenres
Subjectivity of the First 250 Words

Editing/Writing Advice:
Writing in Layers
Be Aware of Creating Reader Expectations
Comma Mistakes
Making Characters Likable
Character Motivation
Tips for Writing a Strong Fantasy
Ellipses and Em Dashes
Compound Adjectives- hyphens
Types of Conflict
Avoid Filtering
Throwing Crutch Words in the Trash
The Difference Between a Tag and a Beat
Qualifiers Weaken Your Sentences
Plugging Plot Holes
Editing Tips for the Big Picture
Weak Writing-Gerunds


Query Advice:
Nix the Rhetorical Questions
Frequent Query Mistakes
Creating a Super Query
Vague Plot in a Query
Building Blocks of a Query Letter

Query Kombat 2018 Agent Reveal

We played the name that agent game, winners won critiques, and now it's time to see the agents again with names and agencies included. There are so many publishing professionals participating, we can’t fit them all on one blog! View one-third of them below, then click on over to Michael’s and Kara's blogs to see the rest.
We’ve got both well-established agents and some newer professionals who are actively seeking to build their lists. Query Kombat 2018 is going to be an AWESOME Kontest. 
Don't miss the submission window from May 16 - May 18, 2018!! We’re giving you three days to get your entries in!  
We hope to see you at our chat with the judges on May 14th at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm EST and also on May 19th at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm EST. We'll be discussing contests, queries, editing, and writing at #QKChat.

And don't forget to visit our Query Kombat forum to get some feedback on your entry and enter for my free pass to skip the slush.   
For more information on how to enter when the submission window opens, please click here. Otherwise, scroll down to meet the agents!


Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary

Founding Partner Laurie McLean spent 20 years as the CEO of a publicity agency and 8 years as an agent and senior agent at Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco.Following her stint as the CEO of a successful Silicon Valley public relations agency bearing her name, Laurie was able to switch gears in 2002 to immerse herself in writing. She penned three manuscripts before deciding that the life of a literary agent was her destiny. Laurie has been writing professionally since high school–first as a journalist, then as a public relations agent, finally as a novelist. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the State University of New York and a Master’s Degree at Syracuse University’s prestigious Newhouse School of Journalism.At Fuse Literary, Laurie specializes in adult genre fiction (romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thrillers, suspense, horror, etc.) plus middle-grade and young adult children’s books. She does not handle non-fiction, or commercial, literary or women’s fiction, nor does she handle children’s picture books or graphic novels.Laurie’s clients include the New York Times and USA Today bestselling YA author Julie Kagawa, bestselling proper romance author Julianne Donaldson, award-winning steampunk and fantasy author Pip Ballantine, and the award-winning Linda Wisdom, who has had more than 100 romance novels published in her career.Website|Twitter


Christa Heschke of McIntosh and Otis  CHRISTA HESCHKE graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively acquiring for all age groups in children’s.For YA, she is especially interested in contemporary, thriller/mystery, fantasy and horror. She looks for a compelling voice and a strong hook that will set a YA novel apart in the flooded market. She is open to all types of middle grade and especially enjoys adventure, mystery, and magical realism. For both YA and MG, she is interested in unique settings and cultural influences, interesting structure, complicated romances, diverse characters, sister or friendship-centric stories, and stories that feature artists of any kind. In picture books she is drawn to cute, funny stories (as opposed to sweet and quiet) that will grab kids as well as the occasional nonfiction biography on a subject whose story has yet to be told.Christa is not looking for any Adult fiction or non-fiction, paranormal or dystopian at this time.Website|Twitter


Lynnette Novak of The Seymour Agency Prior to joining The Seymour Agency, Lynnette spent seventeen years freelance editing. She worked with new writers, advanced writers, as well as New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. Lynnette earned a bachelor of education degree from the University of Manitoba, where she specialized in English and French. She excelled in Advanced Creative Writing in university and studied writing for children and teens through the Institute of Children’s Literature. She was a Pitch Wars mentor in 2015 and 2016. Both her mentees acquired an agent.Although Lynnette was born and raised in Manitoba, Canada, she now lives in Minnesota with her husband, twin girls, and many pets. Her personal interests include reading, writing, exercising at the gym (okay, that’s a love/hate relationship), working on an assortment of crafts, all things having to do with animals (if she could own a farm, zoo, and animal shelter, she would), and enjoying time with family and friends.In adult fiction, Lynnette is interested in acquiring: thrillers, psychological suspense, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and mysteries (traditional, amateur sleuth, and cozy). In young adult fiction, she is looking for: thrillers, psychological suspense, horror, mysteries, sci-fi, fantasy, historical, and contemporary. Website|Twitter


Jess Dallow of Brower Literary and Management Having grown up with the same name as her favorite Sweet Valley High twin, Jess has always had a love for books, especially those that feature kickass female characters, child psychopaths, and serial killers. She loves a book that can scare her, that can make her crying when she’s least expecting it, and a book that she can’t put down no matter what time it is or what rerun of SVU is on. She has a BFA in Writing for Film and Television from the University of the Arts and worked in entertainment for eight years before returning to her home state of NY where she worked at a literary agency for two years before joining Brower Literary & Management. Jess Dallow is looking for YA contemporary and adult commercial fiction. She loves family stories (in the vein of This is Where I Leave You), thrillers (serial killers; child psychopaths; and the things that keep you up at night), mysteries, and strong women’s fiction that delves into the complexities of our world today as well as supportive female friendships. She loves original voices and stories that are impossible to put down. Her #MSWL consists of a YA summer camp novel, an adult thriller (featuring the information above), and a novel like Where You’d Go, Bernadette that plays with format. Other than that, please check her #MSWL on Twitter at @jldallow.Website|Twitter


Whitley Abell of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency Whitley Abell joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in 2018, where she is actively building her list and is seeking submissions in YA, MG, and select adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. Previously with Inklings Literary Agency, she also interned with the Carol Mann Agency and P.S. Literary Agency, and worked as a medical/S&T journal editor and a sales content project manager. She graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with degrees in English and Secondary Education, which means she can tell you everything there is to know about feminist literary theory and the Common Core Standards. Whitley is a proud geek—still expecting to find her misplaced Hogwarts letter, the spare key to the TARDIS, or the secret entrance to Narnia—and is beyond thrilled to have found the perfect profession for channeling her fangirl powers: Associate Literary Agent. 
Whatever the category or genre, I am passionate about finding diverse and underrepresented stories and voices, and welcome submissions from any and all Own Voice authors!
​Young Adult and Middle Grade: I am open to queries of all genres. Strong female voices are near and dear to my heart, and I am always drawn to dark turns, twisted psychology, fresh retellings and reimaginings, untold histories, and far off lands. I’m especially looking for dark narratives with well-developed antihero(in)es, lyrical works of magical realism, mad heists, humorous contemporary, and horror… all the horror.​I am also open to graphic novel submissions in line with my YA/MG guidelines; preference to artist/illustrators.
Adult Fiction: I’m open to queries across the following genres: upmarket and commercial women’s fiction, historical, domestic/psychological thrillers, fantasy (not epic), and mysteries (more noir than cozy). Favorites include Megan Abbott, Kaui Hart Hemmings, Hannah Kent, Ami McKay, Kate Morton, Celeste Ng, Camille Perri, Rainbow Rowell, Victoria Schwab; and I’m particularly drawn to stories told through the female lens; extra points for dark and/or smart humor for today’s women.
I am NOT interested in Christian fiction, genre romance, science fiction, or epic fantasy for adult audiences.
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​Amanda Jain of Bookends Literary Agency

Amanda came by her love of reading honestly, inheriting it from parents who always had books close to hand. She began her career in publishing at W. W. Norton, where she spent seven years before pursuing a masters degree in history of the decorative arts. She rejoined publishing shortly thereafter at Inklings Literary Agency, and is excited every day to encounter new writers and their stories.
Amanda currently reps adult romance, mystery, women’s fiction, and upmarket fiction, with a special emphasis on historical fiction in all genres. She also represents narrative nonfiction, especially projects exploring the literary world, art history, material culture, archaeology, food history, or social history. She loves projects with a strong sense of place and those that create a completely immersive world. She is particularly interested in books that add something important to the conversation, that explore stories we haven’t yet heard, and that introduce new voices to our reading experience.
Amanda currently lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband and two kids. When she’s not reading, she likes to cook, root for the Cubs, and spend as much time outside as she can.Website|Twitter




Jordy Albert of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency. 

​Jordy is looking for fun, witty young adult contemporary, particularly sci-fi, and fantasy (romance is a plus). She's also looking for smart, sexy contemporary and historical romance (Jordy definitely has a soft spot for a fantastic Regency). She’s drawn to strong, intelligent characters (snarky, but still likable). Please note that while it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, she tends to shy away from novels with trigger topics, such as suicide and any type of abuse.

Jordy is NOT accepting picture books, non-fiction or screenplays at this time. 
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Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency

Nicole has been listed by Publisher's Marketplace as a top dealmaker in the country, and named ACFW's 2012 Agent of the Year.

She loves discovering new talent and helping established authors to take their career to the next level.

Do you have the next project to feed her book addiction? A smart, tight read she won’t be able to put down? A signature voice she’ll fight to represent?

HEA’s are a must for romance. Mainstream suspense, thrillers, mysteries, YA and inspirational novels are welcome. A consummate science geek and card-carrying Mensa member, Nicole would love to find the next great science fiction/fantasy novel or action/adventure masterpiece.  

Currently on her wish list: high concept middle grade, any kind of romance, and really fresh voices in YA.

Nicole is a member of AAR, ACFW, RWA, and Mensa. She holds degrees in biology, psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. Like Mary Sue, Nicole taught in the public school system and has worn many hats before heeding her calling to become a literary agent--for which she will forever be indebted to Mary Sue Seymour.

 "I have the best job in the world. I read for a living and make author's dreams come true."


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Kelly Peterson of Corvisiero Literary Agency

Kelly has spent her whole life with a book in her hands. Whether it's from reading, writing, or day dreaming, her mind has always been up in the clouds wishing her fantasy stories would come true. Down on earth, somewhere between reading during science class, writing while she should be sleeping, and spending her social hours pretending she wasn't actually a closet nerd, she finally realized that her life would be a lot happier if she just accepted her love of books.

A recent graduate of West Chester University, she earned her B.S.Ed. in English and went to pursue a career in teaching. Little did she know that despite all of her hard work, the environment she ended up in would be one she disliked. After taking a step back and reassessing her life, she realized that maybe she should have focused on the world of literary agents and publishing a long time ago.

When not working as a book nerd, Kelly can be found dancing, hiking, riding horses, perfecting her yoga technique, blogging, and writing her own manuscript. If you're lucky, you might even be able to catch her flying around the world, saving lives. She is superwoman after all!

Though she reads various genres of Middle Grade, Young Adult, and New Adult novels, her true weakness is for YA Fantasy. More recently, Steampunk has quickly crept up the charts in her heart as well.

With books, there's just something about strong female main characters holding their own against the world, in an environment that Kelly could never, in her wildest dreams, find herself living within. It tears at her heart and pulls at her soul, especially when the main character finds that she never needed another to complete her in the first place.

MG: Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-fi.
YA: Fantasy (all sub genres of fantasy accepted), Steampunk, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Historical (19th century and earlier with strong heroines), Dystopian (hold the cyborgs, the scorch, and diseases, please), Sword and Sorcery, a very selective few for Contemporary Romance, and any combination of the above with strong, female main characters. 
NA: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance (Cowboys, anyone? Sexy and somewhat geeky entrepreneur? Celebrity? Yes?), Historical Romance, or any combination of the above.
Adult: Fantasy, Romance.


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Chris Kepner of The Kepner Agency


I've been working in the publishing industry since 2008, both as a literary agent and more recently as a director of international rights. I have negotiated hundreds of book licenses all over the world, and I couldn't be more excited about launching this agency. Discovering authors is my passion, and building a new list is an absolute thrill.

I live with my amazing wife, our magical baby girl, and our 16-year-old puppy in New Jersey, a half hour west of Manhattan. I'm originally from the lovely Buffalo area and still visit family and friends there at least twice a year. I studied English and business at Notre Dame, and I still watch all of their football games. It's great when they win, but I don't get too upset when they lose (it's only football, people.) I've been in love with music and skiing for as long as I can remember, and I recently became enamored with disc golf. It has everything great about regular golf without the huge expense, heavy bags, tee times, stuffy etiquette, dress codes, or crowds.


Our lives may seem/be meaningless when you take a broad space-time perspective, but this thing we've got, this world we all share...it's pretty special. Let's cherish it, and one another, while we can.


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