Ann Hanigan Kotz
What is your genre?
Historical fiction
Are you published?
Indie press publisher
What inspired you to become a writer?
As a reader, I have always been in awe of writers. A few years ago, my former student sent me her self-published book. She inspired me to take the leap.
What author do you admire and how have the inspired you?
I have always admired Margaret Atwood because her writing is sophisticated. She also makes her readers think. Atwood uses her craft to make our world a better place.
Name three of your favorite books and their authors
The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Giants in the Earth – O.E. Rolvaag
What’s one thing readers should know about you?
I’m a farm girl even though I no longer live on a farm. Those experiences have become the lens by which I often see life.
What one piece of advice would you give to a budding writer?
Don’t worry about what you’ll do with your writing. Write for yourself.
Author Bio
Ann Hanigan Kotz was born in Denison, Iowa, and lived on a farm. During her summers, she often stayed with her grandparents, on their farm in the Loess Hills area. They often took her to visit her great-grandfather, Tingvald Olson. The smell of his pipe and the sound of his fiddle found themselves in some of her story lines. Ann attended UNI and earned a Bachelor’s in English. She taught for 33 years, finishing at Waukee High School. She also received a Master’s in Education from Viterbo University. Ann was passionate about making her students better writers and readers. She credits her writing ability to studying and teaching the craft. Retired from teaching, Ann Hanigan Kotz currently resides in Adel, Iowa, with her husband John.
