Hello dear readers!

It is that time of year here in the United States—good golly not Christmas or anything remotely that fun—it is tax time.

No matter when they hit you, wherever you live in the world, taxes are levied in your country-flavored style with relatable bitterness.

And there are feeling that there is little we can do about it. Just accept and move along to a better part of the year—which for us is April 16 ^th .

The 15 ^th is not our favorite.

But on the 16 ^th —like a reverse Christmas where the 26 ^th of December is a bit of a letdown after months of cheer and sprit, frosted cookies and candied almonds, of presents and music climaxing on the 25 ^th into a chorus of joy and giving—the 16 ^th of April is a time of relief.

It is done.

It is sent.

Thank God that’s over for another year.

We are staring down the barrel of another year and how to keep our money…

But that is another conversation and not for here.

What is here is the fact that…have you ever noticed taxes are rarely talked about in fiction?

It’s rarely a plot point.

Rarely a thought or even a twinkle in a character’s eye.

It usually only rears up to define the tyranny of a king is some castle-strewn fantasy.

(Except for this week’s free story of the week, actually called Death & Taxes. Funny that.)

I mean, I can’t image whyyyyy that one of the least liked parts of our lives that effects alllll of our lives is not represented more in the stories we read.

(Yep, that is called sarcasm and in thick application, ladies and gentle people.)

Death and taxes.

They are often linked in jokes and anecdotes.

But goodness!

There are books written in droves about death.

Dying.

Dealing with our own death. The death of others.

Heck! There is even a whole genre that is almost completely centered around death.

I don’t mean horror. I mean mystery.

No, not all mystery is death. But most of it is.

What is the highest stakes a story can have?

Death or the threat of death. Of one person or another. A gun in someone’s face is a threat of death.

Death. It’s everywhere in story.

And taxes…

(…)

(Do you hear that?)

(That is the sound of writing crickets.)

Nope. Not taxes.

I did a brief bit of research about taxes in fiction to write this blog. Just making sure my observations were accurate-ish enough. And something someone said caught my interest feelies…

In one area, the top floors of many buildings are incomplete. As in, no windows, no walls. Started and unfinished.

Want to know why?

Taxes.

Incomplete buildings are taxed at a lower rate than completed buildings.

So, few buildings are being completed. Intentionally.

The power of taxes.

Heck (again) they are likely writing it into their architectural plans.

Did those that wrote that tax law consider that?

So interesting.

And it made me think…do we really not want to write about taxes? Do we really not want to read about taxes?

I don’t know.

I’m a writer, so I am creatively intrigued.

I am a reader, so I am internally questioning.

It’s something to think about.

At least until the 16 ^th , when I can start thinking about Christmas again.

(*snort*…like I ever stopped.)