Uploaded September 2012 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
There are many influences that led Aya Katz to first envision and then write Vacuum County. The Massacre at Mt. Carmel was not one of them.
Aya began writing Vacuum County in 1989. By February 20, 1993, all but the last chapter was written. When the ATF attacked and besieged the people of Mt. Carmel near Waco, Texas on february 28, 1993, Aya tried to get involved and to help to put a stop to the siege. By March 20, 1993 the entire novel, Vacuum County, was written, including Chapter 27, the only one influenced by the events at Mt. Carmel. On April 10, 1993 Aya went to protest the siege at Mt. Carmel. The protest was unsuccessful. On April 19 the final scenes of the siege played live on TV. Aya was at Rice University teaching a Biblical Hebrew class when a student told her the compound was on fire.
The prophetic element in Vacuum County is surprising to most readers. Without knowing that such people existed at the location she described, the author of Vacuum County foresaw what was to come. The only major difference: she hoped for a happier ending.
Vacuum County can be purchased here:
amazon.com/Vacuum-County-Aya-Katz/dp/161879003X
Customer reviews of the novel are found here:
amazon.com/Vacuum-County-Aya-Katz/product-reviews/161879003X/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
There are many influences that led Aya Katz to first envision and then write Vacuum County. The Massacre at Mt. Carmel was not one of them.
Aya began writing Vacuum County in 1989. By February 20, 1993, all but the last chapter was written. When the ATF attacked and besieged the people of Mt. Carmel near Waco, Texas on february 28, 1993, Aya tried to get involved and to help to put a stop to the siege. By March 20, 1993 the entire novel, Vacuum County, was written, including Chapter 27, the only one influenced by the events at Mt. Carmel. On April 10, 1993 Aya went to protest the siege at Mt. Carmel. The protest was unsuccessful. On April 19 the final scenes of the siege played live on TV. Aya was at Rice University teaching a Biblical Hebrew class when a student told her the compound was on fire.
The prophetic element in Vacuum County is surprising to most readers. Without knowing that such people existed at the location she described, the author of Vacuum County foresaw what was to come. The only major difference: she hoped for a happier ending.
Vacuum County can be purchased here:
amazon.com/Vacuum-County-Aya-Katz/dp/161879003X
Customer reviews of the novel are found here:
amazon.com/Vacuum-County-Aya-Katz/product-reviews/161879003X/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
