Seale Ballenger joined Pocket Books last week as v-p and publicity director. He will report to Judith Curr, Pocket publisher and president. Ballenger began his career at Random House before moving to Simon & Schuster where he became assistant director of publicity until he left in 1995. Following his departure from S&S, Ballenger was publicity director at John Muir Publications and at Conari Press, where he also was marketing director. He most recently was communications director at Outside magazine, where he helped develop the Outside Books imprint. Ballenger is also the author of Hell's Belles, published in 1997 by Conari.