I love good guys

celli has declared the "10th Annual Unofficial Taxfic Challenge" (AO3 collection).  This multi-fandom, no-commitment, challenge-style ficathon comes due on the US federal income tax deadline (04/17 this year).  The game is simply to write a story involving taxes (sales, income, estate, value-added, self-employment, excise, whatever).

As Celli has pointed out, long-lived fantasy characters not only encounter all the regular taxes that we real people do, but they also periodically have to figure out how to pass on their estates to themselves in new identities, while satisfying all the appropriate tax obligations.  And then there are historical fiction taxes in different eras and cultures, with all their various uses, loopholes and enforcement mechanisms.  In past years, this challenge has seen at least three FK stories, including an FK/HL crossover (all by LastScorpion).

"Can't Run, Can't Hide" holds FK's one major on-screen exchange about taxes: ( Janette and Nick on Janette doing her taxes )

However, we also have story angles on taxes available through Nick's two "men of business," Feliks Twist and Charles Ducamps, both from "Blood Money."  Charles clearly oversees the de Brabant Foundation, the charity dispensing Nick's tainted fortune, in the late twentieth century.  Feliks apparently secures that fortune in the longer term.  Whatever specific financial tasks each performs for Nick, they must face taxes!  In CRCH, Janette observes that Lacroix had "plantations" in many places, another possession liable to taxation, like the Raven itself.  Larry Merlin and Aristotle both likely create and obscure tax records in the course of their work.  Schanke owns that "cabin up north" in addition to his Toronto house, so he doesn't get to use the abbreviated form, I'm sure.  Tracy spent part of "Strings" assigned to the Corporate Crime division, where tax returns are bread and butter.  And of course taxes may inspire procedurals as motives or evidence!  Goodness knows, taxes have inspired smuggling through all ages, as well as modern white-collar crime.

Addendum: Perhaps I should point out that the budgets of vital people like police officers and medical examiners are funded by taxes, and stories about that can qualify, too!  Taxes are not just payments made and puzzles solved; they're roads and schools and hospitals, food inspectors and bus drivers and firefighters, NASA and NOAA and the CDC.  In "Cherry Blossoms," Natalie says: ( Natalie on her budget getting cut )

• On 03/06, pj1228 announced that the Region 2 DVDs are out at last!  First season, anyway.  European fans, I'm so happy for you!  She shared photos of the packaging, and let us know the all-important fact that the missing clips are in there, but are in German only, although the DVDs have English and German audio tracks.  I'll gladly take them in any language!  But this makes me suspect that the uncut masters no longer exist in English, unfortunately.
• On 03/16 and also on 03/01, someone posted behind a lock about Chiller's continuing FK marathons.  Go Chiller!

• On 03/12, abby82 let us know that The Border has been canceled.  This is the drama series on which both Catherine Disher and Nigel Bennett had recurring roles, Gary Farmer once guest-starred, and some FK crew alumni were regular contributors, too.  Hopefully, there will be great new shows for everyone next season.


• On 02/23, hearts_blood described purchasing GWD's two audiobooks.

• On 03/13, gnosticdiva reviewed "For I Have Sinned."


• On 02/20, hearts_blood discoursed on historical and contemporary uses of the vampire metaphor, including FK.

• On 03/12, senmut shared some userpic icons of Erica.
• On 02/14, abby82 shared the Janette collages that she created for halfamoon.

• We're currently at 16 committed players on fkficfest, with sign-ups open through Thursday, March 18, 11:59 PM Pacific Time.


• Several people have announced publicly that they've signed up for FKFicFest, including Celli, Wiliqueen and Leela-cat.  (Others have mentioned it behind locks.)


• We've also had generous mentions from Havocthecat and Amilyn on their own journals, Abby82 on FK-Fanfiction and on FK-Freaks, and I received the mods' kind permission to plug us in Oldschoolfic and Femme-Fic.

• On 03/13, gnosticdiva posted her stories from oxoniensis's Porn Battle 9 to her own journal: Making Up" (Nick/Natalie, NC-17), "Ménage à Trois (Nick/Natalie/Janette, NC-17), and "Partners" (Nick/Tracy, NC-17).


• On 03/08, celli announced that the 2010 TaxFic Challenge is open!  FK is eligible, and has been written for this event in the past.