Bernard J. MacDonald, a retired special education teacher and trainer with over three decades in education, is experiencing a resurgence of interest in his novels in 2026. His backlist, which began with the 2010 publication of Missing You, is finding new readers through updated editions and media appearances.
MacDonald's first novel, Missing You, is a love story set against the backdrop of Alzheimer's disease. He followed with Meet Me In Sedona (2011), which follows a heartbroken man into the American Southwest, and Infidel: Kafir (2012), a cross-cultural romance that tests family honor against forbidden love. In 2020, he published Zion: Trails End, the story of a terminally ill retired firefighter who rescues a stranger and finds a second chance at life.
This year, Writers Way Solutions has released updated editions of Infidel: Kafir and Zion, with the latter retitled Zion: End of Trail. MacDonald also discussed Infidel on the Writers Way Podcast, and the book was named a finalist in the 2026 Eric Hoffer Book Award.
Across all four novels, MacDonald explores themes of grief, illness, and cultural pressure, set against the wide-open landscapes of the American West—a region he knows firsthand from his own hiking and camping. His writing is shaped by his career in education, which taught him how to help people navigate difficult circumstances.
MacDonald now lives in Saint Augustine, Florida, where he continues to write. The renewed interest in his work highlights the enduring appeal of stories about love, healing, and resilience.
