From Plowed Field to Pulpit is a memoir about the life of Alvin Leach, my dad.  Even though the narrative is shared in a down to earth and logical fashion, my mom was correct when she said that it does not start at his birth.  “The Pulpit” part of dad, the preacher and teacher, had key life lessons that he would want his grandchildren, future generations, and surrounding communities to hear.  Therefore, the memoir opens close to the beginning of his health crisis of 2011, and has his life, literally at times, hung between life and death, the reflections of his whole life are woven in, mostly through the stories that he would want told.  This weaves the life lessons that he learned “From the Plowed Field” farming cotton with his dad, lessons of faith, trust, and hope, into the ways that he used those lessons throughout the challenges of his life.  My dad, who passed away in 2020, would want those stories shared. 

The memoir begins as my family and I are traveling to the Baptist hospital in Memphis, because the hospital wasn’t sure he was going to make it.  The characters for this memoir are primarily members of my immediate family, especially my mom and son Blake, but extend to Aunt Barbara and Aunt Melvaline as well.  In 2011, I am married to Brent Murphy, with teenage children Laura, MaKayla, and Blake.  My only sibling is Gayla, a younger sister who is disabled.  Key friends play a role in areas of his life that they connect with, but specific names are limited.  The extensive digital file that dad kept serves as a foundation for information and connections, especially his file on all the emails that were sent during his illness of 2011.  Family and community were valued in dad’s journey. 

Just as dad was known to think outside of the box, his memoir has elements of the unexpected.  From the beginning nine years before his death to the suspenseful elements that give this memoir a bit of a fictional feel.  When dad taught, he drew in his students or church members with stories and action.  This memoir intends to mirror his unique traits.  As a preacher, he came across as a common community member.  As a teacher, he loved object lessons and unique teaching methods.  Even though this memoir is designed to be complete, it is unique by design and intended to meet dad’s goals. 

The memoir weaves primarily around the plot of dad recovering from his surgery and health complications of 2011.  This plot opens into the bigger plot that he had connected health complications at birth and life continually threw dad curveballs.  My intention as a writer is to convey the common life experiences of health and family issues that connect with the primary stories that dad wanted told of faith, hope, and love.  Even though life gave him plenty to be sad about, he faced life with hope and a positive attitude.  The tone is intended to be a mixture of serious, thoughtful, and lighthearted.  Dad would want readers to come away with joy and hope as he did. 

Even though there are hundreds who already know dad and will want to read and share the book because of knowing who he is, I know that the themes will draw a larger audience, just as his teaching did.  My family supports me in wanting to get dad’s message shared.