Query Kombat would not be possible without the wonderful people who donate their time to help. For this month-long contest, we've recruited thirty-six industry professionals to critique entries and vote for a winner of each matchup. Each and every one of these judges is participating out of the kindness of their heart, so please join the QK Crew in thanking them for volunteering.
Remember that the best way to thank judges for their time is to buy their books. Michelle has compiled a Goodreads list to make finding the judges' books easier, and they’ve written some great stuff. Also be sure to follow the judges on Twitter. On May 11, we'll be hosting a Twitter party where writers can reach out to the judges and ask questions about their entries, writing, querying, etc. Join us at 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST
There are so many judges this year, we're breaking the bios down across all three host blogs. Go here to see them all: Mike, Laura, and Michelle. For a rule refresher, click here. To donate, click here.
Now, without further ado, I'd like to introduce one set of judges for Query Kombat 2016.
Cale Dietrich is a YA devotee, lifelong gamer and tragic pop punk enthusiast. Love Interest, which releases in Spring 2017 from Feiwel & Friends, is his first novel. He was born in Perth, grew up on the Gold Coast, and now lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Christina June writes young adult contemporary fiction when she’s not writing college recommendation letters during her day job as a school counselor. She loves the little moments in life that help someone discover who they’re meant to become – whether it’s her students or her characters. Christina is a voracious reader, loves to travel, eats too many cupcakes, and hopes to one day be bicoastal – the east coast of the US and the east coast of Scotland. She lives just outside Washington DC with her husband and daughter. Her debut novel, IT STARTED WITH GOOD-BYE, will be published by Blink/HarperCollins in 2017.
C.M. McCoy (Colleen) is an Irish dancer and former
Air Force officer living in the Great White North. Though B.S.'d in Chemical
Engineering and German, she’s far happier 
writing stories involving Alaska and
a body bag (with an awkward kiss in the mix.) While working emergency dispatch
for Alaska State Troopers, she learned to speak in 10-codes, which she still
does...but only to annoy her family. Colleen is the PR Manager at Inklings
Literary agency. Her fiction is represented by Michelle Johnson and her
nonfiction by Sharlene Martin. Her debut novel, EERIE, a YA Paranormal was
featured in the 4 April 2016 issue of PEOPLE magazine.
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J.C. Lane is the author of TAG, YOU'RE DEAD, a thriller coming out in July, which was the All-around runner-up and YA Champion of the 2014 Query Kombat. She is represented by Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary Agency. J.C. also writes mysteries as Judy Clemens, including the Anthony and Agatha-nominated Stella Crown mysteries, the Grim Reaper series, and the stand-alone LOST SONS. She is a past-president of Sisters in Crime, and lives in Ohio, where she shuttles her kids to events, bakes as much as she can, and is training for a half-marathon.
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Kellye Garrett spent 8 years working in Hollywood, including a stint writing for the CBS drama "Cold Case." People were always surprised to learn what she did for a living—probably because she seemed way too happy to be brainstorming ways to murder people. A former magazine editor, Kellye holds a B.S. in magazine writing from Florida A&M University and an MFA in screenwriting from USC’s famed film school. Having moved back to her native New Jersey, she spends her mornings commuting to Manhattan for her job at a leading media company—while still happily brainstorming ways to commit murder.
Kim Long is an attorney in the Chicagoland area, where she spends
her days expressing her clients’ (always true) stories to judges and
juries. She writes MG and YA contemporary fantasy that contain a
sprinkle of science. When not managing her fantasy baseball and football
teams, she can be found biking along the numerous trails in Illinois,
watching Star Wars for the zillionth time, or teaching her nieces about
the importance of choosing the correct racer (Toad) and vehicle
(magicruiser) in Mario Kart. She is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey
Klinger.
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Her husband’s put up with her since high school, her young son keeps her on her toes, and her three cats think they deserve more scratches. Hearing loss is a big part of who she is, from her own Hard of Hearing ears, to the characters she creates. She’s represented by Rachel Brooks of L. Perkins Agency. Her upcoming NA, SIGNS OF ATTRACTION, will be released by Avon Impulse on June 14, 2016.
Leslie Miller is a professional ghost, editor, and YA author living in Charlotte, NC. Her first novel, The Girl With the Half and Half Face is available on Amazon. Leslie is the 2015 Query Kombat YA winner and is now represented by Whitley Abell of Inklings Literary.
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Richard Taylor Pearson is a triple threat: author, actor, and attorney. His debut novel "The Role" is being published by Lethe Press on May 4th, 2016. Richard grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he appeared in many plays and musicals. After graduating from Rhodes College, Richard went on to obtain a law degree from Rutgers School of Law. While he works as an attorney by day, his nights and weekends are spent writing novels and performing in theatrical events all over New York City.
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T. Frohock has turned a love of dark fantasy and horror into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. She lives in North Carolina, where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.
Peggy Rothschild grew up in Los Angeles. Always a mystery-lover, she embraced the tales of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys before graduating to the adult section of the library. An English major in high school, she switched to art – her other passion – in college. At present, Peggy lives in the beach community of Ventura with her husband and their cats. In her spare time she focuses on transforming their yard into a drought-tolerant paradise. Peggy has authored two adult mysteries, CLEMENTINE’S SHADOW and ERASING RAMONA. PUNISHMENT SUMMER is her first young adult novel.
THANK YOU!
There are so many judges this year, we're breaking the bios down across all three host blogs. Go here to see them all: Mike, Laura, and Michelle. For a rule refresher, click here. To donate, click here.
Now, without further ado, I'd like to introduce one set of judges for Query Kombat 2016.
Cale Dietrich is a YA devotee, lifelong gamer and tragic pop punk enthusiast. Love Interest, which releases in Spring 2017 from Feiwel & Friends, is his first novel. He was born in Perth, grew up on the Gold Coast, and now lives in Brisbane, Australia.
____________________________________
____________________________________
C.M. McCoy (Colleen) is an Irish dancer and former
Air Force officer living in the Great White North. Though B.S.'d in Chemical
Engineering and German, she’s far happier 
writing stories involving Alaska and
a body bag (with an awkward kiss in the mix.) While working emergency dispatch
for Alaska State Troopers, she learned to speak in 10-codes, which she still
does...but only to annoy her family. Colleen is the PR Manager at Inklings
Literary agency. Her fiction is represented by Michelle Johnson and her
nonfiction by Sharlene Martin. Her debut novel, EERIE, a YA Paranormal was
featured in the 4 April 2016 issue of PEOPLE magazine.
____________________________________
J.C. Lane is the author of TAG, YOU'RE DEAD, a thriller coming out in July, which was the All-around runner-up and YA Champion of the 2014 Query Kombat. She is represented by Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary Agency. J.C. also writes mysteries as Judy Clemens, including the Anthony and Agatha-nominated Stella Crown mysteries, the Grim Reaper series, and the stand-alone LOST SONS. She is a past-president of Sisters in Crime, and lives in Ohio, where she shuttles her kids to events, bakes as much as she can, and is training for a half-marathon.____________________________________
Kellye Garrett spent 8 years working in Hollywood, including a stint writing for the CBS drama "Cold Case." People were always surprised to learn what she did for a living—probably because she seemed way too happy to be brainstorming ways to murder people. A former magazine editor, Kellye holds a B.S. in magazine writing from Florida A&M University and an MFA in screenwriting from USC’s famed film school. Having moved back to her native New Jersey, she spends her mornings commuting to Manhattan for her job at a leading media company—while still happily brainstorming ways to commit murder.
____________________________________
Kendra Young lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her family
and is lovingly owned by a bossy Australian Shepherd and a five pound calico
cat. When she’s not writing quirky middle grade and young adult fiction, Kendra
teaches 8th grade in an urban middle school where she shares her
love of writing and “dreaming big dreams” with her students, who are almost all
at least a foot taller than she is. She’s currently pursuing her MFA in
Creative Writing from Lindenwood University and is a member of SCBWI. Kendra’s
writing is represented by Taylor Haggerty of the Waxman Leavell Literary
Agency.
____________________________________
Kim Long is an attorney in the Chicagoland area, where she spends
her days expressing her clients’ (always true) stories to judges and
juries. She writes MG and YA contemporary fantasy that contain a
sprinkle of science. When not managing her fantasy baseball and football
teams, she can be found biking along the numerous trails in Illinois,
watching Star Wars for the zillionth time, or teaching her nieces about
the importance of choosing the correct racer (Toad) and vehicle
(magicruiser) in Mario Kart. She is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey
Klinger.
____________________________________
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Her husband’s put up with her since high school, her young son keeps her on her toes, and her three cats think they deserve more scratches. Hearing loss is a big part of who she is, from her own Hard of Hearing ears, to the characters she creates. She’s represented by Rachel Brooks of L. Perkins Agency. Her upcoming NA, SIGNS OF ATTRACTION, will be released by Avon Impulse on June 14, 2016.
____________________________________
Leslie Miller is a professional ghost, editor, and YA author living in Charlotte, NC. Her first novel, The Girl With the Half and Half Face is available on Amazon. Leslie is the 2015 Query Kombat YA winner and is now represented by Whitley Abell of Inklings Literary.
____________________________________
Richard Taylor Pearson is a triple threat: author, actor, and attorney. His debut novel "The Role" is being published by Lethe Press on May 4th, 2016. Richard grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he appeared in many plays and musicals. After graduating from Rhodes College, Richard went on to obtain a law degree from Rutgers School of Law. While he works as an attorney by day, his nights and weekends are spent writing novels and performing in theatrical events all over New York City.
Amazon
| B&N
| Lethe
| Smashwords
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T. Frohock has turned a love of dark fantasy and horror into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. She lives in North Carolina, where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.
____________________________________
Peggy Rothschild grew up in Los Angeles. Always a mystery-lover, she embraced the tales of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys before graduating to the adult section of the library. An English major in high school, she switched to art – her other passion – in college. At present, Peggy lives in the beach community of Ventura with her husband and their cats. In her spare time she focuses on transforming their yard into a drought-tolerant paradise. Peggy has authored two adult mysteries, CLEMENTINE’S SHADOW and ERASING RAMONA. PUNISHMENT SUMMER is her first young adult novel.
