Growing up, author and editor Leah McNaughton Lederman didn't realize her experiences would inspire her to write a memoir. At the age of 16, Lederman read a letter that her father wrote that detailed his experiences as a combat veteran, and over time, this planted the seed for her to write about his stories. She has been cataloguing the scenes she wants to write and with the help of her writing group, has realized that she should write a memoir that focuses on her perspective of growing up with a parent that suffers from combat PTSD. For a memoir to be compelling to others, Lederman recommends approaching the writing as a way to discover things about yourself and about the human experience. This is what will create a connection with readers. Her goal is to convey to her readers that despite her father being a complicated man, she wants them to forgive him for the things he did, just like she has.Lederman has experience with self-publishing but plans to pursue traditional publishing for her memoir. She knows it will be a long process, but wants the validation that comes with traditional publishing. She is exploring small presses that focus on memoir and is also looking at the publishers for memoirs she has enjoyed reading.