The men in the facility - the ‘future men’ - are all written sympathetically. Is there a sequel to Moths? I want to learn more about the moment the world changed, and what happens after Moths. Exploring male violence against women, homo-normativity, and gynocracy, Moths is a powerful assessment of life through the lens of a main character in her 70s. A remastered and revitalised version of the previously self-published, smash-hit dystopian thriller by the same name, Moths shows us a new, post-pandemic world. We weren't watching the TV, my husband and I, that first night of the infestation. We were both watching the slow, even breathing of our sleeping son. Out, then in. Out, then in. Out." Mary also brings contrast with the younger women, who tend to see men more as something to care, for or just to protect, rather than part of society; and that is also reflected in the way they treat those under their care.

Toxic threads originated from moths only those who are biologically male. And there's no cure, leading the infected to either die or become extremely violent; all of this has evolved into a matriarchal society. Decades after the outbreak, we are going to be following Mary and Olivia, who were present the moment all began. Forty years ago, the world changed. Toxic threads left behind by mutated moths infected men and boys around the globe. Some were killed quietly in their sleep, others became crazed killers, wildly dangerous and beyond help. All seemed hopeless. Still not sure? Why not read our interview with Garth Nix here to find out more about the one of the masters of fantasy world building. The concept of the book is fantastic, especially with the current (and historic) issues surrounding gender based violence which often pose the question, 'what would a world without our male counterparts look like?'.Avid Beta readers are not your editor or proof reader and don't expect them to do the grunt work. That's up to you. But they could have spotted a few fleas BEFORE you released the book and helped strengthen your story. The gender role reversal in this new world was done subtly but had a big impact as all it did was have the women of the future describe the men how men describe women in this day and age. This stereotyping adds a level of absurdity as it highlights just how ridiculous it is to associate women with certain innate traits, but it is also quite jarring when you realise it feels quite unnatural to read men be described as weak and silly but it doesn’t feel strange reading women be described this way. Add to the fact that these men are staging protests for access to more education, etc, similar to what women had to do in the past to receive basic human rights, but when applied to men it really stands out how wrong and unfair this was. I find, as a woman today, we often accept that we were treated unjustly in the past but often forget how strict and narrow our lives actually were. Putting these same issues on men really makes it stand out how absurd it is to assume one sex is weaker than the other and then use this as a way to control. Finding a world that has been turned upside down is nothing new. But now we have a society where women are the dominant power and men are marginalised. The themes explored in Moths are extremely relevant such as sexism and freedom, but unlike books such as The Handmaids Tale, the boot is on the other foot. Men are enslaved and not just for health reasons either.

I wanted to imagine and write about a society that wasn’t governed by men and to escape preconceived notions of hetero normativity and feminine essentialism. So, I needed a vehicle to get rid of the vast majority of men for an extended period of time. I considered a disease, but I wanted it to be fast-moving and airborne, surrounding the world in days rather than weeks. Then I saw the article on the BBC about toxic caterpillars and began tentatively plotting out the story. As I wrote I leaned into the creepy reputation of moths to create atmosphere. I realised moths are perfect for this kind of dark storytelling – how they swarm around a light, how they sit dead still on surfaces as if lying in wait. There’s something about caterpillars that give me chills. The spiky hairs and the bright colours – it’s like an instinctive part of me screams don’t touch them!Today, we’re super excited to be taking part in Angry Robot’s cover reveal for Jane Hennigan’s MOTHS! There are scenes here, like one in a hospital and another in a suburban garden, which will stay with you. This book is literally nightmarish. It worked its way into my dreams. I liked that the main protagonist was a much older woman who had lived through the outbreak. Mary brought a breath of fresh air to the proceedings that sometimes you lose with younger ones. As a survivor, she and her friend Olivia had a certain rapport which helped bring some humour to the narrative. Many years later, very few even remember what life was like before the change. Mary does, though, and when an opportunity presents itself, she is faced with soul-searching decisions to make. Will she cling to the only strand of the past she has left or will she risk it all in the name of equality? More stories! I’ve got lots of ongoing projects, some complete, some in progress. I can’t wait to share them with readers in the future.

I honestly don’t know. I guess if someone finishes the novel and wants to talk about the ideas in it with someone else who’s read it – that is the absolute best I can wish for. What can you tell us about Book 2 of Moths, Toxxic? Think about all the men you know. Friends, brothers, uncles, fathers, teachers, co-workers. Young and old. Looking for a way to make it through March Madness? Well forturnately we’ve pulled together our top SFF Books for the month to help put a spring in your step and some Sci Fi into you veins!Another aspect of Mary’s character is her feeling of alienation from the younger women around her. I think this is something everyone feels at some point in their life, politics, technology, social norms, are changing so rapidly that your own ideas are becoming obsolete. The women Mary work with have never known what it’s like to walk down a street clutching a set of car keys like a weapon, or fall pregnant by accident. I think she envies their complacency. On the 9th of July 2019. I know so precisely because that is when I read an article on the BBC titled Toxic processionary caterpillar plague spreads across Europe. I was planning to write an apocalypse book that flipped the gender power dynamic – I just needed a narrative vehicle. A moth plague presented itself as the perfect villain. Did you do much research before you started writing? Moths is a game changer in dystopian fiction. I loved this book. It's a brilliantly disturbing and disturbingly brilliant work of dystopian fiction set in a world radically altered by a catastrophic series of events, which began 40 years before. We need to talk about Mary! It would have been easy to write a young protagonist looking ahead to her life in your world of secrets; what drew you to an older, retrospective protagonist instead? (Aside from, of course, the need for more representation of older women in general!)

I liked that the main protagonist was a much older woman who had lived through the outbreak. Mary brought a welcoming breath of fresh air to the proceedings that sometimes you lose with younger ones. As a survivor, she and her friend Olivia had a certain rapport which helped bring some humour to the narrative. I imagine what Mary and many others went through would evoke strong emotions within every mother tugging at their heartstrings. The commentary is certainly on point, especially when younger members say things to Mary like "don’t be ridiculous. Their brains aren’t wired for complex ideas", much like men would have said about women not long ago (and, that a very gross subset would still claim today, frankly). But beyond the treatment of men in the present day, the stories that Mary and Olivia told were beyond heartbreaking. I could not even let myself go down the "what would I do?" questioning path in so many cases, because it was just too awful to extrapolate on. Jane Hennigan is an English author, who graduation university after studying English and Philosophy, then began teaching it. Jane began writing with any spare time that she had. However, the women of The Union have worked together for the last forty years through many hardships and have built a strong society based on agriculture and recycling. Medicine, and engineering – especially regarding solar power, are prioritised as is education – for women at least. We’re primarily introduced to the world of Moths via Mary – why did you choose Mary to be the book’s protagonist and what can you tell us about her?Mary has settled into this new world and takes care of the male residents at her facility. But she still remembers how things used to be and is constantly haunted by her memories. Of her family, of her joy, of… him. Would things really be better if women ran the place? As a women I’ve always thought we’d make better decisions and run a kinder society but now I’m not so sure. This book points out that power, control and greed are just ‘human’ I guess. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. But now there’s a vaccine - a way that men can leave the facility without dying or suffering from psychosis. Emerging, into their new world, eyes wide with wonder at every new experience, the truth soon becomes clear. However, this book focuses more on what has happened many years later. A society run by women, and the few remaining men segregated for their own safety. Or so the Men’s Welfare Agency says, but is there more to the story? The reader will find out.