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Sam Costello: Writer, Editor, Web Consultant

I am a writer, editor, and web consultant who works with marketing companies, web development and IT agencies, magazines, websites, and other organizations. I help clients develop and refine messages, ideas, and businesses through precise, creative writing, accurate grammar, and cutting edge web consulting.

I am available for freelance projects in any of these areas, and also in writing or editing fiction, comics, and graphic novels.

My clients include:
  • About.com
  • Schwadesign
  • FrameMedia
  • Rue Morgue
  • Aardvark Design
  • RI Home, Living & Design
My services include:
  • Writing for the Web
  • Web Consulting
  • Web Marketing: SEO and Email
  • Journalism
  • Editing
  • Blogging

Latest News

Archive for January, 2008

Dragon Head Vol. 6, by Minetaro Mochizuki

Dragon Head Vol. 6, by Minetaro Mochizuki

In the sixth volume of this post-apocalyptic manga, Mochizuki’s reach exceeds his grasp. He tries some interesting formal things — merging scenes from multiple locations, POVs, and flashbacks onto one page — but they don’t quite work. The book feels ragged and unsatisfying; unsure I want to continue, but I own the next four.

Buy Dragon Head Vol. 6 at Amazon

Book: 6/52

Clockers, by Richard Price

Clockers, by Richard Price

Power’s epic tale of drug dealing and policing in late 80s/early 90s New Jersey is hilarious, heart-rending, frightening, and revelatory. A subtle, affecting psychological take on the toll poverty takes on people. The things Powers learned here are echoed — sometimes down to the word — in his writing for The Wire.

Buy Clockers at Amazon

Book: 5/52

New Project Launch: Leerink Swann

One of the longer and higher-profile projects I worked on this fall/winter has gone live: the new website for Leerink Swann, the nation’s leading healthcare investment bank. I wrote the copy for the site that went live at the beginning of this month under the watchful eyes and skillful hands of Protobrand and 3000k. I think things came out well and hope that this website positions Leerink to grow in the ways it wants.

Queen & Country, Vol. 8: Operation: Red Panda

Queen & Country, Vol. 8: Operation: Red Panda

By Greg Rucka and Chris Samnee

The last (for now) installment the English spy thriller is odd for me. After Vol. 7, Rucka continued the story in a novel — that I didn’t read. I felt out of the loop. Good story here, but missing the immediate past, and learning there’s no immediate future, made the reading weird.

Buy Queen & Country, Vol. 8: Operation: Red Panda at Amazon

Book: 4/52

The Apocalypse Reader, Edited by Justin Taylor

The Apocalypse Reader

I liked the idea of starting the year with this anthology about apocalypses. Seemed like a good next step after finishing last year with The Road and Our Ecstatic Days, but comics intervened. That and none of these stories really connecting with me — even those by favorites like Oates, Evenson, Poe.

Buy The Apocalypse Reader at Amazon

Book: 3/52

Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Vol. 4)

Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Vol. 4)

by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Scott Pilgrim finds love. A surprisingly sweet and tender bit of character work in the middle of a series usually heavy on laughs, video games, and interactivity (the vegan shepard’s pie from Vol. 2 was really tasty). Some cute video game bits; not as funny as previously, but still lots of fun.

Buy Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together at Amazon

Book: 2/52

Ex Machina, Vol. 6: Power Down

Ex Machina Vol. 6: Power Down

By Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris

The sixth volume of the saga of superhero-turned-NYC-mayor Mitchell Hundred. The best stories in the series examine the balance between the political and the heroic. This one focuses too heavily towards the superheroism for my taste – and sets up more of it to come. Worthwhile for the series’ fans.

Buy Ex Machina, Vol. 6: Power Down at Amazon

Book: 1/52