TYPORAMA
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Author’s grandmother inspires 1920s-era historical fiction novel on Chautauqua circuit.
After finding a box of mementos and learning that her grandmother, Verna Hintz Kurtz, traveled with the Versatile Quintet in the Swarthmore Chautauqua circuit as a trombone player and performance whistler in the 1920s, Melora Fern was inspired to write her debut novel, “Whistling Women and Crowing Hens.”
May 16, 2025
Sibylline Press
Historical Fiction
PRAISE FOR WHISTLING WOMEN AND CROWING HENS:
“Melora Fern has written a totally original and psychologically complex novel about her appealing young heroine Birdie's coming of age as a "whistling woman" in an all-girl musical group with the famed Chautauqua Circuit as they travel the country on tour. Sexy, smart, and irresistible, this is historical fiction of a very high order----I literally could not put it down! Highly recommended.”–Lee Smith, NY Times Bestselling Author of “The Last Girls”
“‘Whistling Women and Crowing Hens’ is an immersive read set in the Chautauqua circuit of the 1920s. As the propriety of the Victorian era gives way to the anything-goes roaring twenties, women find themselves newly enfranchised and empowered, yet still traditional expectations endure. Fern’s attention to detail and a cast of unforgettable characters make this book hard to put down. Full of the drama and humor that come from five women sharing close quarters for weeks at a time, ‘Whistling Women and Crowing Hens’ is at times raucous, tragic, and uplifting. At its heart, this book is about finding one’s voice and singing (or whistling) it loud.”–Culley Holderfield, award-winning author of “Hemlock Hollow”
“From the boarding house to the stage, from the hinterlands to the big city, Melora Fern’s ‘Whistling Women and Crowing Hens’ will take you on an extraordinary journey of music, adventure, friendship and unexpected love.”–Mimi Herman, author of “The Kudzu Queen”
“I'm drawn to stories of women's self-discovery and the challenges they face, and Melora Fern's ‘Whistling Women and Crowing Hens’ is a true gem.”–Julia Park Tracey, author of “The Bereaved” and “I've Got Some Lovin' to Do”
“‘Whistling Women and Crowing Hens’ is a thoroughly immersive and uplifting tale, deftly exploring female ambition in the riotous 1920s. Birdie Stauffer is a winsome heroine, and readers will cheer for her to succeed both on-stage and off. As Birdie wrestles with learning to trust herself, a gripping love triangle and an entertaining cast of side characters impact her in unforeseen ways. Fern’s vivid details bring the historical time period and charming characters to life.”–Heather Bell Adams, author of “Maranatha Road” and “The Good Luck Stone”
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ABOUT WHISTLING WOMEN AND CROWING HENS:
It’s the 1920s, and Birdie Stauffer is whistling on a train-traveling roadshow.
To escape her strait-laced overbearing sister, Birdie auditions for the all-female Versatile Quintet, Chautauqua circuit’s opening act.
Through the roadshow she experiences the tumultuous 1920s, a modern era of shocking flappers and smuggled whiskey, with the camaraderie of newfound friends.
Her exceptional gift of concert whistling entertains more than songbirds as she gains national notoriety and she’s soon entangled in two romantic relationships.
Birdie discovers even the best relationships can be filled with misunderstandings.
She learns to trust her intuition, but it may cost her love interests, her sister, and maybe even herself.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
MELORA FERN: The only constant in life is change – so after a year of multiple doozies, Melora Fern moved from Texas to North Carolina to become herself.
Growing up as the perpetual “new kid” she persevered by making up stories and recently has learned how to hone that skill into writing fiction.
As a recovering CPA, she now counts seashells, colorful stones, or words discovered on her walks.
She loves a good local gin, hiking, feeding songbirds, moonrises and joyfully sharing bites of your dinner. Her tonic is a daily belly laugh combined with mindfulness.
Embracing new and old friends, undiscovered and favorite places, unique and familiar books, family, and all that comes with writing currently fills her days.
After eight years of perfecting her craft with writing classes, workshops, retreats, and an awe-inspiring critique group, Melora’s months of querying agents and small presses has paid off.
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Her novel, “Whistling Women and Crowing Hens” (Sybilline Press) is out now.
And join Melora Fern’s community on Instagram, Facebook, and Substack to engage in open-minded insights on life’s next chapters, writing/reading recommendations, interesting facts about 1920s nostalgia and more.
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FOLLOW HER ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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An Interview with
1. What inspired this book?
I discovered a box of family history mementos my mother had saved, yet never shared with me, while moving her to assisted living. Inside were many aged, black and white photographs, brochures, letters, newspaper clippings, The Art of Whistling textbook, and best of all, a scrapbook full of quips and photos. All were my grandmother’s from her travels with the Swarthmore Chautauqua circuit in 1926-1927 as a performance whistler, trombone player, and troupe member. I couldn’t tell her story when I first discovered the box, but with research I learned about the fascinating world of the 1920s-era Chautauqua circuits, performance whistling, and women’s rights—soon Birdie and the other characters appeared in my mind and demanded to have their story told!
2. How did you make the transition from CPA to novelist?
It actually started well before I became a CPA because my parents believed in reading aloud, storytelling, and encouraged me to be a voracious reader. Once Birdie and the other characters were living in my mind, I had to tell their story so I wrote a very “shitty” first draft. I realized I needed to hone my writing craft, so I attended workshops, took online creative writing courses, read many craft books, and joined a writer’s critique group. It was through editing and feedback that my novel really began to sing. I used skills I had developed as a CPA—organization, thorough research, curiosity, and perseverance—just in a creative way!
3. What was the research process like, and how did you set about capturing the 1920s?
I started my research on the internet with basic Google searches for “Chautauqua circuits” and “performance whistling in the 1920s” and from there went down many research rabbit holes. On the 2nd and 3rd pages of Google, I found dissertations about the circuits, whistling competitions with actual recordings, and many newspaper articles from the past. I read through several books that covered the 1920s, the Chautauqua movement, concert whistling, women’s rights, and more. I visited the Chautauqua Institute, which sadly has nothing on the circuits. Later I went to Swarthmore College library that had boxes of detailed schedules, photographs, brochures, and more about their circuit—it was a treasure trove!
4. What were the conditions of the 1920s like for women, and how did they impact Birdie’s character?
The ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920 granted white women the right to vote and with it came tumultuous and empowering change. Many people in rural towns were clinging to their Victorian ideals while women in urban cities were raising hemlines and cutting their hair. Birdie exemplifies both—her sister is holding her to proper, outdated expectations while her new friends and the world she is experiencing through the circuit encourage her to be curious, modern, and bold.
5. Who are your literary influences?
I’ve been influenced by so many authors throughout my life—from James Harriot who wrote “All Creatures Great and Small” (my mom read it aloud to us) to characters that became my friends while growing up written by Beverly Clearly, Margery Flack, Madeleine L’Engle, Astrid Lindgren, and E.B. White, to name just a few. As an aspiring writer, craft books by Stephen King, John Truby, Eudora Welty and, especially, Anne Lamott are invaluable to me. Since my favorite genre is historical fiction, there are too many authors to list but a few that come to mind today are Tracy Chevalier, Kristin Hannah, Susan Meissner, Kate Quinn, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Ask me again tomorrow and I’ll most likely have a different answer!
6. What do you hope readers take away from the novel?
I hope readers stay up all night reading “Whistling Women and Crowing Hens,” and that Birdie and the other characters rattle their minds long after they finish. I’d like readers to discover that the “jazz era” was much more than flappers and speakeasies; many people of that time were resistant and fearful yet, were also excited, curious, and empowered by all the turbulent changes. I’d love it if my novel made them reconsider their own family dynamics, relish their friendships, and most importantly find and use their own voice.
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