Celebrating Women in Horror Month

This month I’ve gotten the honor to sit down with some of the queens of screams who craft bad dreams. Artists, writers, musicians and more with one common denominator. They create horror. For those unfamiliar, I encourage you to check out their website and hashtags. Here is the rundown from their official website –

This inclusive and positive movement is open to everyone, just as we believe the horror genre should be.

womeninhorrormonth.com

Women in Horror Month (WiHM) is an international, grassroots initiative, which encourages supporters to learn about and showcase the underrepresented work of women in the horror industries. Whether they are on the screen, behind the scenes, or contributing in their other various artistic ways, it is clear that women love, appreciate, and contribute to the horror genre.

Tonight I have the pleasure of introducing you to a true Renaissance Woman. She’s an artist, writer, and singer – but if I were to stop there I’d be have barely scratched the surface. Viktoria is a multi-lingual creative powerhouse. A mistress of the morbid, she’s crafted horror in the form of literature, art, voice work and more. One might say that horror runs in her veins, and they wouldn’t be wrong. She was born in Transylvania. That’s right, the place so synonymous with the esoteric that it prompts pilgrimages of fear seekers and is an iconic centerpiece in vampire folklore to the rest of the world is simply a place-of-birth for The Serpent Queen.

Balkan Blood

Well technically I only lived there from my birth till the age of 7

And from what I remember it seemed almost like the typical 80/90s in the small town I lived in. Big antenna phones to clip phones, no Internet, old cartoons, playing outside etc. But that was mostly because I lived in a small town obviously. Whenever we visited my aunt who lives in Cluj Napoca, it seemed more modern again. We often went to McDonald’s and that was my favorite place as a kid ha-ha. But whenever we went to my grandma and grandpa from mother’s side, it seemed even more “back in the past”-ish because it is more of a village. Traditional Romanian house with garden and farm animals. He used to have pigs, cows, chickens and even a white donkey for a little while and they grew their own food. Most times there I only spent playing with the neighbor’s boy and pretty much “getting lost” with him around the village. 

I knew about Vlad Țepeș since my mom used to tell me bedtime stories 

On growing up among the lore

I did have two people who didn’t actually believe that Transylvania was real. I was like “are you KIDDING ME??” and I literally had to show them on a map that it’s actually a real place. Some react with the obvious “ohhh Transylvania, Dracula huuuh?” “So you’re a vampire??” and I just laugh about it really. 

On leaving Romania to escape an abusive father

Don’t let it hold you down

Viktoria

Well, all I can really say is that nobody’s alone. A lot of us go through this and the best thing to do is to just get away from the abuse. Even if you feel like you don’t want to talk about it because you’re afraid that something will happen, don’t be. It’ll only get better

Discovering her love for Music and Art

I often watched music videos on the small TV we had

Whenever I heard a song that I really liked, I just learned the sound and tried to sing with my invented English words, since I couldn’t really speak English back then. Basically I always had the wish to become a singer when I was younger. And I still do actually! 

I just wanna be a singer lol! 

I’m working on it! I used to sing on school breaks when I was in the 1st grade and literally the older students really liked to listen to me sing, anyone who I ever sang to would kinda annoy me to sing to them often. As I mentioned in my bio I later joined the choir from the school I graduated three years ago, where I still go to. With that choir I get to perform solo songs on a stage like maybe twice or thrice a year. Besides that I wanna work more on my cover songs on YouTube, I use an own character of mine as a mascot for my covers. Her name is Spade, she’s a Gorillaz OC and she has my singing voice. I do wish to sing own songs in the future though, I just need the right people! 

my grandma from father’s side taught me how to draw round stick men and I just kept on going

I really enjoyed putting whatever I thought of on paper. But when I realized that it was a passion rather than just an interest? I think it was literally when I held the pen for the first time really. 

The Paranormal and Occult are among her passions

I theorize that it first came from religion. Because my grandma from father’s side always warned me of the devil. And instead of being afraid I was quite more interested, but I had to act afraid because I slightly knew that I could get it trouble because she is quite a strict Christian. Also in Kindergarten we often saw theatrical or puppet plays and for some reason they always contained devilish or witchy puppets (the puppet plays) and people wearing creepy masks like monsters, gas masks etc. Then there was a day where my sister and me visited one of her friends, he had a scary witch mask hanging around and I pretty much just wanted to have it haha! The same thing was when we visited a cousin of mine; she had two Japanese demon masks in a room high on the wall. And while my childhood best friend, who was with us, was screaming and crying about seeing them, I really would’ve wanted to take them down and wear them to scare her more. There was also an encounter with the same best friend when me, her and her brother played hide and seek on our front yard. She hid behind the medium sized space from the stairs that lead to the attic; saw something that shouldn’t be there and she came out running and crying. When we found out what happened, I ran behind the stairs just to see “it”. I was really disappointed when I didn’t see anything. She still remembers this to this day. Also I always had and still have some weird interests in basements and attics. Oh and I should maybe mention that I was exposed to horror movies at my really young age. 

kids would call me a monster 

I won’t deny that I had that edgy phase where I thought it was cool, but thinking about it I just cringe really. Though, I never stopped liking horror, it also kinda adapted itself as a way to “cope” with the things I had to go through. And I’m also that kind of person who won’t change for anyone at all. I have my likings and people can either respect it or f*** off. 

Over the years she’s turned that love of horror into writing. One of her earliest accomplishments was Anna

Anna’s just a ghost that roams the place she died in. Her most unique trait is her eye in the mouth that can open like some otherworldly creature. I wrote her story back in 2015 I believe, got also help by my good friend Kingdomwielders who helped with the structure, grammar and spelling. Actually before she looked the way she looks now, she had a really fucking edgy design I made around 2012/13. In her past look she had no eye in her mouth, black empty eye sockets that were continuously bleeding, vampire teeth, blond long hair that reached her hips, brown “scene girl” bangs, black shorts and a Pikachu jacket. The idea first was to redesign that look back in 2014/15 and sell her to anyone wanting her, but then later I decided on not selling her and I don’t regret that decision at all hah! When I did her current design, I wanted to keep something from her past “marysue” design, but also change it to something better. I wanted to give her sight but keep her eyeless, so I came up with putting an eye in her mouth. And because I’m one extra type of person I thought, “why not make it open itself and be literally connected to her” because I can. Made the eye sockets more realistic and fleshy, made the blood under her eye sockets dried up, changed her Pikachu jacket to a simple yellow zip up hoodie and made her pants longer past the knees. With that I believe that everyone can take their once really cringy character and turn it to something better! Just never give up! 

I didn’t really expect her to become famous

I still don’t even think that she is even if some people tell me otherwise haha! Though I always am honored when anyone does fan art of her even if it’s just a stick man. And yes her story was also narrated by MrCreepypasta and I’m really happy about it, but I don’t see it as a breakthrough or anything like that, I just love his voice and think he’s an amazing guy and the best narrator I know. And I’m just really thankful for this opportunity. 

But the funniest and really confusing comment I saw was on a Creepypasta files Wikipedia entry a fan made for Anna (still really honored about it!) saying “is she getting paid to be a ghost?” I don’t think she would even want to be paid for that hah! 

She also finds the time to make Youtube content on her channel – ImagineMonsterVi

It’s actually very simple, with my YouTube channel I Just want to help, inform and entertain others. Help as in, I review Creepypasta characters sometimes, of course only if the creator gives permission and is okay with the fact that I won’t sugarcoat but also not rant because I won’t entertain anyone by just being plainly rude. With information, I started making “Creepypasta facts” videos where I tell people about the origins of characters and facts that the majority of people don’t know about. And with entertainment I obviously talk about little meme animatic, speed paints, covers and narrations very soon. Obviously the majority of my channel will be filled with Creepypasta stuff but also with personal things and my covers of songs and hopefully own songs one day.

Teamwork makes the dream work – On friendship and collaboration with other creators

I really work with anyone who’s willing to work with me! 

Viktoria has worked with many talented artists and creators

I’m good friends with Artkobal and we really connected more on Instagram after seeing their already started comic that will include Anna! I really suggest checking it out; we’ll also collaborate in the future. I also will work on something with the amazing artist, cosplayer and my best friend DamnLuciel, we got to know each other on Deviantart when I approached him because I noticed that he’s a Marilyn Manson fan haha! And last but not least the amazing YouTube artist and animator Ijustwannahavefunn, we also got to know each other on Deviantart and we’re friends since, we did make an art collaboration once and wouldn’t mind to collaborate more in the future!

A Practicing Witch and with a strong connection to the Ethereal

Witchcraft sometimes even inspires me to draw certain pictures.

To be honest, I always quite felt like this, but I didn’t ever think about me being a witch for some reason and I really urged to know who and what I am. One day I fulfilled a ritual that I’ve been told to do by an expert and long story short, I found it out. 

they haven’t shown any intolerance yet, but if they do, I’ll just ignore it and keep on doing my thing

I do sometimes tell my family, but they aren’t really that interested about it. My mother mostly doesn’t even believe in witchcraft at all.

The challenges faced as an artist

Funny enough, the very first artistic downfall was in the third grade where we had to draw a tree by blowing the color with a straw. Instead of letting me to paint it by brush I was only allowed to use a straw. And it didn’t come out the way I wanted even at a second time, I was so devastated that I didn’t want to draw for a while. 

I’m happy that I didn’t stop forever though!

I also had a downfall with Anna’s backstory, it got too many negative comments so I deleted it, but I think I’ll build it in a future project! Nowadays my greatest challenge is to overcome all negative aspects that have happened to me or I still deal with through life, such as rejections, depression, education etc. 

On being bold and staying motivated to create

I learned not to fear about what people think of my art, they can think or say what they want. I really don’t care; I just want to do what I enjoy. But I do make sure that I’m still contributing to the right genre lol! Also I make sure that people know that if I draw anything that could be seen as a sensitive matter, it’s not about idolizing it.

it’s only about the artistic matter

Viktoria’s current projects and what’s to come

Well most of my current projects that I want to be starting on soon as possible are Creepypasta Merchandise, the speed paints that will contain narrations and my Project that has to do with cover songs. Also I want to get on writing new stories, I just need to get motivation for that one lol!!

Where to find her on Social Media

YouTube – ImagineMonsterVi Facebook – ImaginemonsterVi

Instagram – @Serpent_VVitch Deviantart – ImaginemonsterVi