People, Etc. - Publishers Lunch

Madeline Jones will join Algonquin Books as editor in the New York office on January 25. She was most recently at Henry Holt.

Carrie Bloxson will join Hachette Book Group on February 1 as vp, diversity and inclusion, and will also join the company’s executive management board. She was interim ceo and chief marketing officer at social impact organization DoSomething.org, and previously worked as a vp,marketing at HarperCollins. Bloxson is charged with helping the company to “achieve its objective to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable company with increased representation of people of color in HBG’s leadership, workplaces, and publishing programs. She will also support and amplify the work the company is doing in the areas of talent development, recruitment, retention, training, office culture, business processes, marketing, and communications.”

At Vintage/Anchor, Julie Ertl has been promoted to senior publicity manager; Sarah Nisbet to publicist; and Alexandra Dos Santos to associate publicist.

Crystal Hardison has joined Harper Christian as director of partner relationships. She previously worked in developing and partnerships in both commercial and not-for profit industries for 18 years. Elsewhere at the division, LaTasha Estelle and Shawn LeBar will lead newly divided sales teams for the indie retail channels at Harper Christian and Harper Focus. Estelle has been promoted to sales director for ABA indies and libraries. LeBar will join on January 24 as sales director, CBA indies. LeBar was most recently sales manager at Christian Art Gifts.

Alice Fugate has joined the Joy Harris Literary Agency as associate agent. She was previously associate agent at Trident Media Group.

Neil Sheehan, 84, the reporter who procured the Pentagon Papers for the New York Times, died Thursday at his home in Washington. Sheehan was also the author of A Bright Shining Lie, which won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer in 1989. The NYT runs a piece on exactly how Sheehan obtained the 7,000 pages of classified documents — a story he told in 2015, on the condition that it not be published while he was alive.

Imprints
Harlequin’s Inkyard Press young adult imprint is expanding into middle grade publishing, announcing four titles signed for 2022. (Their books are sold by the Harper Children’s sales team.) The new line will focus on “action-packed, thoughtful books with ongoing series and brand potential in the humor, fantasy, and adventure categories, with a commitment to including stories centered on marginalized characters.”