I have just returned from the river that is the sidewalk, my feet are soaked and my hair, I’m sure, resembles that of a bedraggled cat or something, so what better time than to update you on what’s been going on at DGLM these past couple months! (Somehow, that line of thought makes sense.)

Jessica started this round off with Kate Samela’s. GIVE PEAS A CHANCE: The Foolproof Guide to Feeding Your Picky Toddler. The subtitle says it all. This went to Shana Drehs at Sourcebooks.

Alexandra Lapierre’s IN THE NAME OF HONOR, the true story of the son of a Chechyan Imam, kidnapped from his village at the age of ten, raised as foster son of Czar Nicholas II, and whose desire to wed a Christian princess sets off a chain of events that forces him into an impossible choice between love and honor set against the splendor of the Russian Imperial court, was also sold by Jessica to Gabriella Page-Fort at Amazon Crossing.

Next up, A SCREAM AT MIDNIGHT by Shirley Damsgaard, writing as Jess McConkey, tells the story of a city girl struggling to fit in on her new husband’s farm where she encounters not only a different kind of life, but a ghost from long ago, and a murder that will shake her to the core. Stacey sold this to Emily Krump at Morrow.

Jane then sold Eric Taub’s DOES THIS PLUG INTO THAT?, which demystifies and provides a straightforward approach to the complex and often convoluted world of technology, to Chris Schilling of Andrews McMeel.

CANARY, Rachele Alpine’s debut YA novel, about a girl struggling to fit in with the popular crowd now that her father is the coach of the big-time basketball team, was sold by John to Emily Steele at Medallion Press.

Dr. Paul Linde’s WHEN QUEER WAS CRAZY, a peek behind the scenes of the colorful history of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the putting together of the DSM’s most recent edition, and how the federal government, insurance companies, and corporate interests shaped modern psychiatry, went to Naomi Schneider at the University of California Press, sold by Jane.

Stacey sold the first cookbook from the founder and creator of the popular RecipeGirl.com. In THE RECIPE GIRL COOKBOOK, Lori Lange,  will feature over 150 recipes and ideas for entertaining and every day meals for the home cook that are accessible to all skill-levels of cooking, to Justin Schwartz at John Wiley & Sons.

Matthew Algeo’s PEDESTRIANISM: WHEN WATCHING PEOPLE WALK WAS THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR PASTIME, about the rise of pedestrianism, a competitive-walking craze that, by the middle of the nineteenth century, was the most popular spectator sport in the English-speaking world, the reasons for its broad and enduring appeal, its profound impact on American and British culture, and its continuing influence more than one hundred years later, was sold by Jane to Jerry Pohlen at the University of Chicago Press.

Michael sold SMELLS LIKE PIRATES by Suzanne Selfors—a rollicking third adventure in the SMELLS LIKE DOG series, following ordinary farm boy Homer and his treasure-sniffing sidekick, Dog, as they race to outsmart an old enemy and find a long-lost pirate treasure—to Julie Scheina at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Next comes DANDELION HUNTER, by Jane’s client, “Wild Girl” blogger and urban forager, Rebecca Lerner. Pitches as a Walden for the 21^st century, DANDELION HUNTER interweaves stories of an urban forager with reportage and philosophical insight, unlocking the many secrets of the wild plants around us. This went to Mary Norris at Globe Pequot at the end of August.

Adam Lazarus’s MONTANA VS. YOUNG: The Greatest Quarterback Controversy of All Time, the first book to chronicle the heated rivalry between Joe Montana and Steve Young for the starting quarterback position of the San Francisco 49ers, a rivalry that drove both players to Hall of Fame careers and Super Bowl wins, was sold by John to Jonathan Crowe at Da Capo Press.

INDELIBLE INK, the first novel in a new YA series by Dawn Metcalf, features a heroine who is accidentally marked by a mysterious boy, which places her in the midst of a dangerous, otherworldly plot to end the Age of Man. Michael sold two books to Natashya Wilson at Harlequin Teen.

Michael also sold the first three books in J. Scott Savage’s The Grimville Case Files series, about three monster-obsessed boys who must solve fiendishly funny mysteries in their hometown, including an amulet that turns its bearer into a zombie and a football team that’s “stitched together” by a body-snatcher, to Andrew Harwell at Harper Children’s.

Lastly, Jessica sold INNOCENCE AND WAR to Chris Kuppig at Signal Books. The author, Lord Ian Strathcarron, a British travel writer who lives aboard his sailboat, the Vasco de Gama, recreated Mark Twain’s colorful voyage to and through the Holy Land, which became the basis for Twain’s first major bestseller, The Innocents Abroad. Strathcarron’s own modern day adventures in the politically volatile, hotly contested lands are a counterpoint to and resonate with Twain’s sly observations about faith, chicanery and politics.

It’s been a busy end-of-summer around here and if the past couple weeks have indicated anything, it’s only going to continue. I may complain about the weather, but with so many new books being sold and published, it’s a blessing in disguise—more time to stay inside and read!

Coming to you from the blazing hot (this is actually a little bit of a lie as we’ve had a respite the past couple of days) middle of July, here’s a little look at what’s been happening at DGLM these past couple of weeks. Like we’ve been telling you, summer doesn’t mean all work comes to a screeching halt! As dedicated, dutiful agents are wont to do, there’s been a lot of selling going on around here.

First since we last convened is The Panini Happy Cookbook, by Stacey’s client, Kathy Strahs, who is a food blogger and creator of the Panini Happy website as well. This cookbook filled with over 200 fun and delicious recipes was sold to Dan Rosenberg at Harvard Common Press.

Next, Jim sold the YA anthology, Defy the Dark, compiled and edited by Saundra Mitchell to Anne Hoppe at Harper Teen. As the title might suggest, this collection centers on those stories that could only happen at night.

As June began, Jane sold New York Times reporter Joe Berger’s The Pious Ones, depicting the fabric of everyday Hasidic life and exploring how it has allowed them to re-establish themselves as a burgeoning community, while also unflinchingly examining the conflicts between Hasidim and the wider society to Claire Wachtel at Harper.

Paul Gude’s debut picture book, Giraffe and Elephant, about a silent giraffe and a lovable elephant was sold by John to Kevin Lewis at Hyperion.

Richard Gropp’s Bad Glass is up next. Jim sold this sci-fi horror novel about a young photographer who travels to the barricaded city of Spokane, Washington, in the hopes of gaining attention of his work by photographing the bizarre incidents occurring there.

Jane sold Tayari Jones’ latest, Dear History, which is a multi-voiced novel chronicling three generations of the Washington family from 1930 to the present day and is a sweeping account of American history chronicling events which act as anchors for the deeply personal narrative of a family that struggles to stay together in an ever-changing world to Andra Miller at Algonquin.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr’s The Lucy Variations, about a former prodigy’s developing friendship with her younger brother’s new piano teacher, one that brings as much confusion as it does happiness, was sold by Michael to Julie Scheina at Little, Brown.

Ericka Blount Danois’ SOUL TRAIN’S MIGHTY RIDE: Behind the Scenes of America’s Favorite Dance Show, represented by John, is the first book to chronicle both the glitz and glamour as well as the social and civil rights importance of the longest-running, first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history. This went to Mike Edison at Backbeat.

A new paranormal series by Alesia Holliday, The League of the Black Swan is a vampire set for young adults sold by Jim to Cindy Hwang at Berkley.

Michael’s client, Suzanne Selfors, rounded out her middle grade adventure trilogy that began with Smells Like Dog. This third and final installment was sold to Julie Scheina at Little, Brown.

New York Times bestselling author of So Easy and The Food You Crave, as well as host of the Food Network/Cooking Channel show Healthy Appetite, Ellie Krieger’s revised and updated edition of Small Changes, Big Results was sold by Jane to Emily Takoudes at Clarkson Potter at the end of June.

Saundra Mitchell’s next two books, Mistwalker, about a local legend in a lobstering town in Maine and the girl who becomes entangled in its mysteries, and Aetherborne, the conclusion to Mitchell’s series of alternate histories were sold by Jim to Julie Tibbot at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Fathomless, a modern Little Mermaid retelling in which a young mermaid wants to leave the sisterhood of dark, soulless creatures and regain her humanity—which she can only do by convincing a mortal to love her and stealing his soul, was written by Jim’s client Jackson Pearce and went to Julie Schiena at Little, Brown.

Jessica’s most recent deal is an as of yet untitled illustrated wedding guide written by Piage Appel and Kelly Harris of the California-based event planner and design team, Bash, Please went to Kathleen Jayes at Rizzoli.

Lastly, Jane sold Blue Chair Fruit Company owner Rachel Saunders’ follow-up cookbook on jam and marmalade, with 150 original recipes–a mix of savory and sweet, to Kirsty Melville of Andrews McMeel.

Now. What are you doing sitting inside at the computer? It’s absolutely GORGEOUS outside!