Special to the Jefferson Herald
The Jefferson Public Library will host an author talk and book signing with Iowa author Ann Hanigan Kotz on Tues., March 18 at 7 p.m. at the Milwaukee Depot in Jefferson. Kotzis the first author to be featured in this year’s author talk series.
Kotz’s third novel, “Moonshine by Moonlight” is a fictional story of the bootlegging era, representing the authentic legacy of Carroll County’s underground whiskey industry during one of the most raucous periods of American history. “Some may remember Ann from her first author talk in 2023 about her first novel. Ann is an Iowan and she writes about Iowa,” said Library Director Jane Millard.
Beginning with the murder of a pastor in Sioux City, the tarring of an official by the Iowa City Beer Mafia, the rum running of Iowa’s infamous rye whiskey in Templeton, and ending with the current exploits of today’s underground whiskey business, Kotz will present Iowa’s prohibition journey, taking us through the distant past to discover why many families turned to bootlegging. The author’s presentation will include both real events that happened in Iowa during the time of Prohibition, along with how she intertwines history with fiction in her book.
The storyline of “Moonshine by Moonlight” is as follows: By the light of the moon, hidden in the rolling hills of Carroll County, Iowa in 1923, illegal whiskey flows from homemade stills. Defying Prohibition, farmers-turned-entrepreneurs turn their hog houses, barns and basements into moonshine operations to feed their families and save their land while dodging the ever-present federal regulators, led by Alvin Truly, the newly deputized agent of the northern district. To stay ahead of the law, the distillers band together into a syndicate, led by a kingpin unknown to all but one man. The anonymous bootleg king builds an empire of whiskey with thousands of gallons of moonshine flowing over Iowa’s borders while conjuring bigger and better ways to get their product across state lines—some going to the famous Chicago mobster—before federal agents can discover their schemes. Agent Truly, however, has his own plots to trap the bootleggers and bring them to justice. Federal agents against farmers, Wets against Drys, Protestants against Catholics, Kotz’s novel exposes the power struggle between the law and the lawless and once again brings readers to Iowa’s past.
“Ann writes historical fiction, placing fictional characters into real-life events, in this case showing why some farmers chose to get into the bootlegging business to support their families in the decade between World War I and the Great Depression. This book takes place in Carroll County, our neighbors just to the west, and you’ll recognize some of the locations she mentions in the book. It will seem like you’ve stepped back into the 1920’s as you read this book, and there’s a good plot twist revealed at the end,” said Millard.
Kotz was raised on a farm outside of Denison. During the summer, she spent time at the public library, where reading became a passion early in her life. After graduating from the University of Northern Iowa, she earned a Master’s degree in education through Viterbo University, starting her teaching career in 1988. She taught English for 33 years, the last thirty at Waukee High School in the Des Moines metro area. As a teacher, Ann was passionate about helping her students become better writers and readers. She credits her writing ability now as apublished author to studying and teaching the craft.
After retiring in 2021, Kotz began writing her first novel, with no intention of publishing or selling her book until her book club friends encouraged her. “Teaching prepared me really well for this second career—from researching to writing to presenting my programs. I especially enjoyed the research on this current book, including the time I spent with two grandsons of Carroll County bootleggers,” said Kotz. She also encourages aspiring writers by saying, “Don’t worry about what you’ll do with your writing. Write for yourself.”
Kotz now enjoys retirement with her husband John in Adel, Iowa. This new book follows her first two books, “The Journey of Karoline Olsen” and “Sons and Daughters,” both fictional accounts of her ancestors’ lives after they immigrated from Norway to Soldier in western Iowa in the late 1800’s. A third book in the Olson series, “The Wayward Son,” will be published in September.
“Moonshine by Moonlight” may be checked out from the library or purchased from the author and autographed the day of her program. It is also available for purchase at bookstores and online. Trains were used to transport moonshine during Prohibition, so the restored Milwaukee Depot located at 509 East Lincoln Way in Jefferson will set the stage for this author event that is open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
