Basil the demon king has come to a crossroads. He has grown tired of life underground and regretful of the atrocities he has committed to maintain his hold on power. Wanderlust leads him to the surface, to live freely among humans. Considering the state of the world, most humans seem unfazed by his arrival - but not all. A religious zealot with murderous intentions and a vengeful biker gang seek his end.

Meanwhile, Basil must contend with two internal forces: the disturbing dreams that suggest he once walked the earth as a human; and the pull of the underworld, drawing him back to deal with the troubles he left behind - namely, a cunning foe who craves the throne, a monstrous kraken, and an ancient evil as cold and dark as the soil.

'Burn, Beautiful Soul is The Wizard of Oz with a demon Dorothy... It is a loving but unsentimental dissection of America and its people. It is a story you will never forget.' John Schoffstall, author of Half-Witch

William J. Donahue's ambitions have included becoming an American ninja, a professional wrestler, a horror-punk icon, and a goon for a minor-league ice hockey team. Although he failed miserably in each of these pursuits, the experiences provided ample material for his fiction writing. He has authored three short-story collections: TOO MUCH POISON, FILTHY BEAST, and BRAIN CRADLE, one of which (FILTHY BEAST) was a finalist for Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award.

When not writing fiction, entertaining his cats, or wandering quietly in the woods, he works as a full-time magazine editor and features writer. Currently he is the editor of three monthly lifestyle publications serving the Greater Philadelphia Area, as well as the associate managing editor of a literary journal about the writers, artists, and history of Bucks County. His writing and reporting have earned multiple awards for excellence in business journalism, both print and digital. He lives inside a small but well-guarded fortress near Bethlehem, PA.