Award-winning author of “Little Avalanches” Becky Ellis spoke before a crowd of around 50 people at the Junius Ward Johnson YMCA Thursday evening.

Ellis’s book is a memoir about growing up with her father, who suffered from PTSD following his time during active duty in World War I. He was a member of the Timberwolves, a unit of the U.S. Army infantry trained to go into battle during nighttime hours and take the enemy by surprise.

Ellis was raised to be tough, she said, explaining that as a child, her father insisted she undergo dental procedures without novocain and forced her to learn to water ski at age six. She was baffled and often hurt by her father’s insistence that she learn things the hard way, she said.

Ellis said that for 70 years, her father did not speak of his time in service, but at age 89, broke his silence and finally told her of the trauma he had suffered during battle. She came to understand the man she had often feared, hated and misunderstood most of her life.

Ellis read portions of her book and signed copies of the book at the session. A majority of the audience was made up of veterans or family members of veterans. Ellis answered questions from the audience, largely about PTSD and other issues facing veterans.

Ellis is from Portland, Oregon. Some of the proceeds from sales of her books go to support disabled veterans. Copies of her book may be obtained through Lorelei Books in downtown Vicksburg.