Something has come upon sleeping men for millennia, a malevolent presence that leaps upon them in the night and saps their strength; steals their souls. It has been reported in the mythology of every culture on earth, from as far back as the ancient Egyptians to the present day. It haunts the gossamer thin region between wakefulness and sleep, prowling at the edge of a dream. Yet, its victims report a startling reality to these experiences, and now modern science has determined that when the “entity” appears, the reporting victim is actually not asleep at all!

In Egypt this thing was called Isis. In the old Summerian tradition she was “Lilith” the first wife of Adam who refuse his domination and fled to a cave to mate with serpents instead.(Pictured here) Now she hungers for the life and breath of men with an ancient, primal lust that can never be satisfied, and every culture has given her a different name. In Alaska, the Eskimos called her “Paija,” and her spirit was said to lurk in the wreck of an old paddle-wheeled boat that had run aground on “Steamboat Slough.”

Steamboat Slough is a story that moves on many levels, one of which is the inner psyche of the main character, Daniel Edwards. His dreams take on the archetypal quality of the ancient mythic images of Lilith while also reflecting an inner struggle to integrate Jung’s Anima and Shadow energies into his personality.

Was Paija stalking his sleep, or Lilith, or the Old Hag of the Celtic tradition? Or was it merely a cry of warning coming from deep within Daniel’s psyche--warnings of a demon that haunted his waking hours as well?

Like the steamboat in the story, Daniel’s life has suddenly run aground. He is trapped, dragged beneath the frozen ice of his own dark dreams and stalked by night and day.

Steamboat Slough has an archetypal energy about it that will reach into your soul. It is a masterful blend of psychology, myth, mystery and suspense that will make you think twice before you turn out the light to sleep...Or perhaps prompt you to re-explore the aspect of Lilith within your own psyche.

The myth of Lilith has been skewed over the years by male keepers of the mythic tradition. In recent times the symbol of Lilith has taken on new meaning, particularly for the reemerging mythos of the Goddess, where she represents regenerative energies, independence, and self-validation. This myth has been wonderfully illustrated by the acclaimed artist Lilian Broca, who was kind enough to grant permission to display some of her artwork in this gallery.