Don Bendell

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Don Bendell
Born January 8, 1947 (1947-01-08) (age 62)
Akron, Ohio, United States
Occupation Author, Novelist, Special Forces Officer, Karate Instructor, Cowboy, Rancher
Nationality American
Genres Western, Science Fiction, War, History, Romance
Literary movement Conservative
Spouse(s) Shirley
Children 6 children 6 grandchildren

Don Bendell, (born January 8, 1947), is an American author of four military thriller novels about the Global War on Terrorism, four autobiographical Vietnam Era books, six science fiction novels (written under the pen name of Ron Stillman), and ten historical Westerns – the "Colt" series—written from 1993-2000. He was born in Akron, Ohio, and now lives on a small horse ranch outside Florence, Colorado.Don Bendell in a parade on his National Show Horse Eagle

As an author of 25 books, Bendell draws his characters and storylines from a vivid imagination and personal life experience. A former United States Army Special Forces captain, he served in Vietnam 1968-1969, including a tour on a Green Beret A-team (Dak Pek) in Vietnam, and was in the Top Secret Phoenix Program. In the early 80s, he wrote, produced, directed, and co-starred in a low-budget, martial arts/action movie, The Instructor. He also moved to Colorado in the early 80s becoming a big game outfitter for a time and furthering his tracking skills gained through decades of bowhunting, scouting, Special Forces experience, and spending lots of days and nights in the wilderness. As a volunteer tracker, he has tracked children and adults lost in the mountains, trailed cop-killers, worked alongside trackers of the Navajo Tribal Police, ran down leads for the FBI, and has helped track, locate, and recover the bodies of lost hikers. He has spoken around the country and was even made an Honorary Oklahoman by Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin and the state House of Representaives of Oklahoma. On September 27, 2006, Don was appointed to the Colorado Governors Council on Physical Fitness by former Governor Bill Owens, and was re-appointed by current Governor Bill Ritter on November 13, 2008.

Bendell is a Grandmaster instructor in 4 martial arts (Song Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do, Freestyle Karate, Kodokan Judo, USA Jujitsu)and is a black sash instructor in Muay Thai, has over 43 years of experience, and is a 1995 inductee into the International Karate Hall of Fame[citation needed], and owns karate schools in southern Colorado called Bendell Karate. He says he still teaches to keep his sanity as an author. Bendell's online editorials have been widely published in newspapers and magazines, and circulated by millions all over the world on the Internet[citation needed]. He has been interviewed by Martha McCallum on Fox News Live and on many radio shows, and speaks all over the country. He has also been very instrumental in exposing phony wannabe war heroes, such as former Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy[citation needed].

Don Bendell is currently writing a new western novel, STRONGHEARTwhich will be released worldwide in the spring of 2010 by his publisher Berkley Books, followed by a sequel HALF-BREED. His current novel a contemporary military thriller about modern-day Delta Force is called DETACHMENT DELTA series. DETACHMENT DELTA is now available through [www.amazon.com] and at many stores and bookstores worldwide. It had a release date of January 9, 2009. Bendell's current trilogy of military thrllers the CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DETACHMENT series is now complete with the third book, BAMBOO BATTLEGROUND, in release worldwide.

Bendell is the father of 6 grown children, has 7 grandchildren , a business degree from Colorado Christian University, and he and his wife, Shirley, are both pursuing Masters Degrees in Business Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Don is also following that with a doctorate in Business. Don loves bowhunting for big game, fishing, dancing, sports, poetry, and the Denver Broncos. 2 of his 4 sons are currently also in the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets). His oldest daughter, Brooke, was a Christian missionary converting Muslims into Christians in India and Africa, and she and her husband were also missionaries in Central and South America.

Don Bendell is the former President (2001-2003) of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Special Forces Association and also belongs to the Special Operations Association. He is a member of the Western Writers of America, a Life member of the VFW, the DAV, and a member of the American Legion.

When asked about his occupation, Don usually grins and replies, "I am an American cowboy." Don teases Bendell Karate students in a parade while his wife Shirley waves to the crowd.

Contents

[edit] Code of the West

Bendell applies his version of the “Code of the West” to his Westerns and his life:

  • Cowboys should treat women like ladies, period.
  • Cowboys fight fair, they fight only when they have to, and when they do have to fight, they win, period.
  • You know exactly where you stand with a cowboy. There are no gray areas, only black and white, but not when it comes to skin color.
  • A cowboy is only as good as his word.
  • A cowboy protects his family, spread, and community.
  • A cowboy will fight for, and take care of orphans, widows, and those who are oppressed.
  • A cowboy will go out of his way to avoid a fight and is always willing to share his grub, campfire, and water.
  • A cowboy believes in his God, and he believes in America and will fight and die to protect either.

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Colt series

Westerns, "Colt" series, of which four were nominated for the prestigious Western Writers of America’s Spur Award, are:

  • Chief of Scouts (1993)
  • Horse Soldiers (1993)
  • Colt (1994)
  • Coyote Run (1994)
  • Warrior (1995)
  • Justis Colt (1996)
  • Eagle (1997)
  • Matched Colts (1998)
  • Blazing Colts (1999)
  • War Bonnet (2000)

All published by Signet Westerns (Penguin)

[edit] Current novel

  • Detachment Delta (2009)

[edit] Coming soon

Don has returned to writing westerns. STRONGHEART will be released worldwide by Bekley Books (Penguin-USA) in the spring of 2010. The sequel HALF-BREED will be released worldwide in the spring of 2011.

  • STRONGHEART (TBR 2010)
  • HALF-BREED (TBR 2011)

[edit] Also Current

  • Criminal Investigation Detachment (2005)
  • Broken Borders (2006)
  • Bamboo Battleground (2007)

[edit] Vietnam Era books

  • Crossbow (1990)
  • The B-52 Overture (1992)
  • Valley of Tears (1992)
  • Snake-Eater (1994)

[edit] Science Fiction

(pen name "Ron Stillman" – but just the first six books in series were written by Bendell)

  • Tracker (1990)
  • Green Lightning (1990)
  • Blood Money (1991)
  • Black Phantom (1991)
  • Firekill (1991)
  • Death Hunt (1991)

[edit] Poetry

SONGS OF THE WARRIOR (1999)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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