HARDSCRABBLE FEATHERBED

Hardscrabble Featherbed is a collection of memories from the author about her childhood.

The 1950's in the Northwest Florida town of Kinard, was a time of hard work for little pay and yet a pioneer spirit seemed to be in each heart . The people strived to succeed against strong odds, and whenever a neighbor was in need they pulled together to get by. The author was born in 1949, and wrote the book for her family, but also as a tribute to the wonderful neighbors who always "had her back."

Marilyn McNew Core was born March 2, 1949, in Panama City, Florida. She grew up in Northwest Florida, in the small town of Kinard, Florida. Her father and mother owned and ran a fish camp, charging a whopping $2.00 for one night's stay. Marilyn's mother, Shirley, died of breast cancer at the age of 29, and her father was left a widower with two young children- Marilyn and her brother,George. Marilyn's father had requested that his father and mother come down and run the fish camp business long before the death of Shirley. Thus, his mother, Ola Grace Ferrell McNew, took on the responsibility of caring for Marilyn and George. "Grandma" had some adventures of her own and loved to share her stories. In the small town of Kinard, everyone looked out for their neighbor. Marilyn wrote the book so that her family would learn about her childhood years, but also to honor those caring Kinard neighbors and friends.