Kendall Bell is an award-winning journalist who has won more than 20 awards from the South Carolina Press Association and the Associated Press. He is a veteran reporter having worked at The Charlotte Observer, The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News, The Lancaster News and as an editor at the Beaufort Gazette and The (Sumter) Item. In early 2019, Bell retired from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, where he was a deputy and public information officer.
     Bell’s writing credits include two published anthologies, From the Heart: Stories of Love and Friendship (HJW Publications, 2003) and From the Heart 2: More Stories of Love and Friendship (HJW Publications, 2004). He has also been published in many magazines including Writer’s Digest, South Carolina Sheriff, Lowcountry Monthly Magazine, Hilton Head Island Monthly Magazine, Sandlapper Magazine and others.
     Bell is in growing demand nationally as a speaker who is known for his unique wit and humor. He has developed workshops for beginning writers as well as advanced workshops for published authors covering topics such as book promotion and secrets to getting book reviews.
     Now you can order Kendall's books directly from this website. Enter the desired quantities in the small box below each book and click the Submit button. Then, follow the steps through the shopping cart to complete your order. PayPal's flexible payment options provide an easy method of payment with either your PayPal account or by credit card. 

COMING FEBRUARY 2020

TRIPLE TRAGEDY in ALCOLU
The execution of 14-year-old George Stinney, Jr., accused of the
murders of Betty June Binnicker and Mary Emma Thames.
Author: Kendall Bell

On June 16, 1944, the State of South Carolina executed fourteen-year-old George Stinney after he had been found guilty of killing eleven-year-old Betty June Binnicker in the Clarendon County town of Alcolu only 83 days earlier.

Deputies charged Stinney with killing not only Binnicker, but also her seven-year-old companion, Mary Emma Thames. However, he only went to trial for killing Binnicker. Early the next morning after the girls went missing, searchers discovered their bodies in a couple of inches of water with Binnicker's bicycle, its front wheel pulled away, on top of them.

In 1988, a New Jersey writer published a book of fiction loosely based on the killings. Later, NBC released a made-for-television movie based on the book. The book and movie, both fiction, added to the ever-growing rumors as their narratives eventually became touted as fact.
In 2014, Stinney's remaining siblings and supporters celebrated after a judge vacated his conviction, ruling that he did not receive a fair trial in 1944.

The purpose of this book is an attempt to separate fact from fiction. Readers can decide on Stinney's guilt or innocence for themselves after learning the facts.
Regardless, Stinney will forever be the youngest person executed in the United States during the Twentieth Century.

Trade Paperback
Retail: $16.95 US + $3.00 shipping; 320pp
ISBN 978-1-62268-151-8 print

 

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Kendall Bell has a story about one of his favorite places in South Carolina in State of the Heart. Get your copy today!

State of the Heart evokes a sense of history and timelessness by bringing together heartfelt responses to South Carolina rooted in memory, drawing on reflection, inspiration, and love. The anthology reveals a state that is more than a playground for tourists; it is a state of human hiding places that echo in the hearts of its literary citizens. Though presented as a book about place, the collection is ultimately about our shared connections to one another, to a complex common past, and to ongoing efforts to frame and build a future of promise and possibility.

"State of the Heart is a rich collection of personal stories, reflections, historical facts and front porch yarns as colorful, timeless and inspiring as the people and landscape of the Palmetto State. This heartfelt book is a must-read for everyone lucky enough to have been born here or who now calls South Carolina home."—Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author, Beach House Memories

"State of the Heart reminds us of what is best about South Carolina and her many gifted writers, the monumental power of this place to shape our memories into stories and then our stories into art."—Pat Conroy, from the foreword

"Southerners—-whether they write poetry, fiction, or non-fiction—-have a sense of place. In their work, sometimes that place is a literal, physical presence; sometimes it is spiritual. For some a place is a haven, for others it is a muse: a front porch, a garden, a cabin in the woods, a library, or the Carolina Coliseum. In this wonderful book of "mini-memoirs" you can discover the places that have inspired and continue to inspire a marvelous group of South Carolina writers."—Walter Edgar
Hardcover: $39.95 - ISBN 9781611172508
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Softcover: $19.95 - ISBN 9781611172515
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It's Here!
Larry Phillips: NASCAR's only
5-time Winston Racing Series Champion

"He could win on big oval tracks or little tracks. He was just one helluva guy!"

    -- Rusty Wallace reflecting on his memory of Larry Phillips

      NASCAR fans take pride in knowing all about its drivers -- both past and present. However, unless Larry Phillips is a part of that history, it's not complete.
      Throughout the Midwest, Larry was known as the "master of the short track." He seemed unbeatable and won an unprecedented five NASCAR Winston Racing Series Titles!
Read how NASCAR stars Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace and others say Larry affected their careers.
      It's the book that has people in the Ozarks buzzing!
We will post details soon on how you can save money by pre-ordering your copy! And watch for it in your favorite bookstore starting in January!
 

 


 

          Click to read one of the stories

     Kendall Bell's second book, From the Heart 2: More Stories of Love and Friendship, offers even more contributions from writers across the country. This book holds 57 stories and poems. Some will make you laugh, and some will make you cry, but all are stories you will remember. Cassandra King, author of Making Waves in Zion and The Sunday Wife says of Bell's latest book: "Our world so desperately needs these stories of love, hope, and inspiration."

To order a copy of this book, enter the number of copies you want in the space provided and click the submit button. The price is $14.95 plus $5 shipping and handling each. South Carolina residents: add 6% sales tax.

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Click to read a sample

NASCAR fans have always had their heroes. Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Rusty Wallace, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart—and the list goes on and on. Drivers in NASCAR’s Sprint Series, known for many years as the Winston Cup Series, have become household names in many cases. LARRY PHILLIPS won an unprecedented five Winston Racing Series championships. No one else has come close to matching that feat.

Phillips, who died in 2004, was known throughout the Midwest as a force to be reckoned with. Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Kenny Wallace are only a few of the drivers who went on to a successful racing career after learning from Phillips.

Phillips polarized fans wherever he went. Fans either cheered wildly for him, or they cheered equally hard against him. There was no middle ground.

However, racing wasn’t Phillips’ only interest. He also learned to fly and later built and flew a helicopter. His fans, no doubt, thought they knew all there was to know about Larry Phillips. But they are wrong. Phillips had another side that he never showed at the track. Many will be surprised to learn that he also played the violin and could be gruff as a polar bear one minute only to bend down to playfully tease a child a moment later.

In "Larry Phillips: NASCAR's Only Five-Time Winston Racing Series Champion: Master of the Short Track," Kendall Bell and David Zeszutek give fans a look at the Larry Phillips they never knew from just seeing him at the tracks. And for fans who thought they knew everything about their favorite driver, they might be surprised to learn Phillips planted the seed for the love of racing in them. He might be gone, but his influence on the empire we know as NASCAR will continue to be felt for years to come.

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APPEARANCES
listed in descending date

Feb. 27
3-530 p.m.
Elephant Ear Gallery
672 Bultman Drive
Sumter, SC

Feb. 22
Noon-2 p.m.
Stonewall Books
315 S. Main Street
Lancaster, SC

Feb. 20
4-7 p.m.
City Centre
21 N. Main Street
Sumter, SC
Lancaster, SC

 

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