Wearing my other hat (don't even ask to look at my hat-rack) as managing editor of Bundoran Press, I got to curate a bundle of ebooks including six novels from Bundoran authors and six books by some great writers who have befriended us over the years.

​You can take a look over at Story Bundle but let me give you a preview. 

The bundle includes novels by Robert J. Sawyer (my personal favorite of his: Frameshift) and Ramez Naam (the first book in his award winning trilogy from Angry Robot). Also on offer is the first book in the Valor series from Tanya Huff, Template by Matthew Hughes and the fabulous vN from Canada Reads finalist, Madeline Ashby. I'm particularly happy to present Organisms, a collection of stories from multi-award winning author, James Alan Gardner, which is exclusive to Story Bundle.

The Bundoran books that round out the bundle are pretty spectacular in their own right. Breakpoint: Nereis from Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist, Alison Sinclair, has been described as House meets Star Trek and Aurora Award winning author Edward Willett showcases his space opera skills with Right to Know. I could go on about but you might think I have a vested interest.

There's a lot more info over at the Story Bundle site, so why not give it a try, then give it a buy. 12 great books for only $15US.

This is getting embarrassing. Another year and another blog post. I swear this is the year I blog more than once a year! Both here and on my other long neglected blogs.

Yeah, sure.

In any case, it's not like I've been keeping you in the dark what with Facebook (in three separate pages when you count Bundoran Press and Hayden Trenholm Writer) and two Twitter accounts: @BundoranPress and @HaydenTrenholm. But all of that lack the depth and detail of an occasional blog. And hopefully this year, a little more than occasional.

So, to get things rolling. On the writing front, I had two short stories appear. "When Winter Comes" appeared in On Spec (28:4) -- my sixth story there -- and Laksa Media included "In a Bar by the Ocean, the World Waits" in their anthology, Shades Within Us. The story I sold to Neo-Opsis hasn't appeared yet but presumably will show up in 2019. Meanwhile, two stories are in the final round in prestigious markets, so I remain hopeful.

This week I expect to do the final revisions of two of the three stories I wrote in 2018 and expect to finish the two stories started last year but still in progress. As I approach 64 (will you still need me, will you still read me?), I don't plan too far in advance. I will be working on a new novel in February (though the last one hasn't sold yet) while escaping winter in Oaxaca, Mexico and I have three or four story ideas I am eager to explore. So, I'm not dead yet, as Monty Python might declaim.

I had a relatively quiet year at Bundoran Press with only a single book being published: Fiona's Moore's novel Driving Ambition. I am in the final edits of 3 books to be published in May and am waiting for the second draft of a novel from Ryan McFadden. I already have another book from Ryan slotted into the 2020 calendar. 

My health remains good, other than the usual aches and pains. Unlike many of my peers, I am only on a single daily medication, a puffer I frequently forget to use until reminded three or four days later by a familiar tightness. Ah, well. In any case, having lost 27 pounds by eating less and exercising more, my knees trouble me less and I generally have more energy. Being retired and getting 8-9 hours of sleep every night undoubtedly helps.

The big events of last year involved travel, with 5 weeks in Mexico and three trips to western Canada as well as lots of travel in southern Ontario. Of course, the big adventure was Africa for nearly five weeks, traveling to Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland. We went on two safaris and saw ALL the animals as well as visits to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Victoria Falls, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. If that wasn't enough we also spent ten days in Spain (Madrid, Granada and Barcelona) with bookend visits to London as well. Eight weeks on the road.

Here, have a giraffe:
​

And if that's not enough, perhaps you would prefer a leopard.

You can see more photos on Facebook. Whether out on the Savannah or deep in the heart of cities, it was a fabulous once-in-a-lifetime trip filled with wonder and beautiful people, sights and sounds and smells that will last me the rest of my life (unless I can figure out a way to go back).

Travel will continue to play a part in 2019 as well--Mexico, Canada, Greece, Berlin, England and Dublin--are all on the itinerary. We plan to keep going until either the bodies or savings give out.

I've saved the biggest and best highlight until last. It thrilled me to see my darling, Liz, accept an Aurora Award for her story, "Gone Flying." Well deserved and, I suspect, not the last.

Now, I'll sign off until next time -- which hopefully won't be next year at this time.