Writer's Report - oh, those cliches!

Writer's report:

Submissions: 2
Rejections: 1

I started a new story last night--sort of spur of the moment, though the idea has been rolling around in my head for quite some time.  Judging by my last post, I was rather harsh about the over abundance of horror stories centered around zombies and vampires (which annoys me immensely).  I'm not saying that I hate the creatures--quite the contrary.  But it's far too excessive.  I long for a good ole' fashion ghost story, or a demonic possession (not of the teenage girl variety), or maybe even a frightening tale about squirrels.  Therefore, I decided to try my hand with a few of these monsters.

First, I contemplated (and even started) a comical piece centered around a haunted trail (for Halloween) in which two unlucky enthusiasts survive a terrifying night in which the haunted trail is littered with zombies; however, our two main characters are completely oblivious to the concept because A) it's a haunted trail; and B) they're stoned.  But do you see what I did there?  Gah . . . a cliche!  Two stoners, oblivious to the horrifying elements they're enduring, yet comically triumph over a terrifying night of zombies?!  Gah!  Cliche!

I'm better than that.

So I decided to write a vampire story instead in which a vampire enlists as a German medical officer stationed in France during World War II so he may feed on the blood of fallen soldiers.  And then . . . gah!  Cliche!  Not too mention author David Bishop wrote Operation Vampyr: Fiends of the Eastern Front  which is, as you may have guessed, a story about German-allied vampires during World War II, though they were stationed in Russia.

So . . . stepping aside from such embarrassing and cliched outlines for a story, I decided instead to begin a humorous story about a ghost who has the misfortune of returning to the land of the living . . . as a vampire . . . and as a zombie . . . and as a demonic possession.

Okay, so maybe the story stills walks along those conventional cliches.  Vampires.  Zombies.  Psht . . . so what if I am spinning off an idea from the same mundane characters?  At least I know they're mundane.

Ergo,  new story in the works.  I still have a few others which need some serious revision, but for now, enjoying the holidays, I'm going to crank out a little humorous tale.  Thus far: 1,288 words.