Nomaris is dedicated to my father Noel N. Marder (1930-1983), for whom I named both a star and a planet. Dad was a book publisher, civil rights activist and inventor whose love and command of the English language was both masterful and inspiring. He wrote as he spoke, with great passion and power, but never committed to writing a book because of his need to create the Perfect Opening Sentence. My question was, “Why don’t you start with the second sentence and figure out the opening later?” 

            The quest for absolute perfection can be emotionally crippling more often than it is admirable, and this world is a bit less bright because of all the people who had a story to tell but were too self-critical to share it before leaving. My advice to writers, therefore, is simple.

If you love to write, tell the Dad Within to shut up and just keep writing.

Never suppress inspiration; you will edit later anyway. 

Wishing You Joy,

Adrienne Austin