In his books, Stephen King is famous for his portrayal of axemen. In real life, King is fonder of taxmen. In an article for the Daily Beast website entitled "Tax Me, for F@%&'s Sake!", the American horror writer argued that the super-rich (a grouping within which, with a fortune of more than $US400 million ($386 million), he includes himself) should be forced to pay more cheddar to the state.

Way more, in fact.

Author Stephen King in 2009. Credit:REUTERS/Mike Segar

King currently pays 28 per cent of his earnings in tax. He thinks that figure should almost double – a view that is not universally shared by his fellow high-rollers.

"The majority," he notes, "would rather douse their dicks with lighter fluid, strike a match, and dance around singing Disco Inferno than pay one more cent in taxes to Uncle Sugar."