Bernard J. MacDonald, a retired special education teacher and trainer, is seeing a revival of his novel backlist in 2026, as updated editions of his works find new readers. MacDonald, who spent over three decades in education, began publishing fiction in 2010 with "Missing You," a love story set against the backdrop of Alzheimer's disease. His subsequent novels — "Meet Me In Sedona" (2011), "Infidel: Kafir" (2012), and "Zion: Trails End" (2020) — have quietly built a resonant catalog that continues to explore themes of love, loss, and second chances.
This year, Writers Way Solutions has released updated editions of both "Infidel: Kafir" and "Zion," the latter retitled as "Zion: End of Trail." The reissue has brought renewed attention to MacDonald's work, and he recently discussed "Infidel" on the Writers Way Podcast. The novel was also named a finalist in the 2026 Eric Hoffer Book Award, underscoring its literary merit.
MacDonald's fiction consistently returns to emotional territory shaped by his career in education: characters confronting grief, illness, or cultural pressure, often set against the expansive landscapes of the American West that he knows from his own hiking and camping. His stories are not driven by literary ambition but by a profound understanding of human resilience, honed through years of helping others navigate difficult circumstances.
The author, now based in Saint Augustine, Florida, continues to write, and the resurgence of interest in his work highlights the enduring appeal of narratives that center on healing and redemption. As readers discover or revisit these novels, they are finding stories that resonate with universal experiences of love and loss, offering hope and the possibility of new beginnings.
