Don Bendell is a  top-selling author of 25 books, a television pilot, and a successful feature film, with over 2,000,000 copies of his books, mainly novels, in print worldwide. He is also a successful screenwriter, producer, director, actor, stuntman, talk show host, cowboy, poet, speaker, political pundit, editorialist, and martial arts Grandmaster. Skilled in tracking since childhood, the former Green Beret, big game guide, and avid bowhunter, is often called on, and has had success, searching for missing hikers, hunters, prized animals, and fugitives. 

A 7th degree black belt Grandmaster in 4 different martial arts and black sash instructor in Muay Thai, as well, Don is a 1995 inductee into the International Karate Hall of Fame and 1996 inductee into the Martial Arts Museum of America and owns and operates 2 successful karate schools in southern Colorado. He was previously on the National Advisory Board of the American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts along with such notables as Burt Reynolds, Wayne Newton, Will Sampson, and Jonathan Winters. In 2007, Don was highly-honored in a speech by US Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson along with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.  He has worked extensively with Vietnamese Montagnard refugees and on Montagnard issues and has also been listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and WHO'S WHO IN ENTERTAINMENT ever since 1992. From December of 2001-2003, he was President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter (Chap. 4/24) of the Special Forces Ass'n, is a member of the Special Operations Ass'n, Life member of VFW, American Legion, Life member of DAV, is a 70% VA-rated Disabled Vietnam veteran, a former member of the International Platform Ass'n, and is a member of the Western Writers of America, where he was nominated for 4 prestigious SPUR Awards for 4 of his 10 popular western novels. He is also a member of the Military Writers Society of America. He was appointed to the Colorado Governor's Council on Physical Fitness by former Governor Bill Owens (R) and recently reappointed to the Council by current Colorado Governor Bill Ritter (D). Don has also testified for the Colorado Legislature on a bill about Search and Rescue and another bill Don had first suggested to Representative Tom Massey about economic and other incentives to attract film and TV producers to Colorado. Both bills were passed and made into state law.

A graduate with a Business degree from Colorado Christian University, Don is currently in graduate school at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix pursuing a Master of Science in Leadership along with wife Shirley, has also been a US Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer, a licensed Colorado big-game guide and outfitter, bodyguard, executive sales rep, and radio disc jockey. He is the father of 6 grown children and grandfather of 7. Don rides a big pinto National Showhorse named Eagle.

He is currently writing westerns for Berkley Books (Penguin Group-USA) and also has recently authored military thriller novels for Berkley.

For researchers wanting a full biography of Don click on the "Don Bio-Complete" link, along with this page.