About Keith Pascal ...

Andrew: Thanks for taking time to answer questions for this interview. Let's jump right in, if you don't mind.

Keith: I'm ready. Ask away.

Andrew: How long have you been a martial-arts writer, and what did you do before writing books?

Keith: I was a high school teacher for a dozen years. In 2000, I left teaching and started promoting the hardback that I had written in 1998. While I marketed books, I continued writing.

Andrew: What was that first book?

Keith: Wrist Locks: From Protecting Yourself to Becoming an Expert.

Andrew: I have seen that book on Amazon.com and on other martial arts sites. Is that your only book?

Keith: No. In hardback, I have a new one called Coin Snatching: The Reputation Builder. It's an entire book on how to speed switch one coin for another in someone else's hand. The book includes the real methods, complete presentation suggestions, and a lot of information on reputation building for martial artists.

Andrew: I bet you have to be pretty fast to succeed with that demonstration.

Keith: No, not at all. Anyone can learn to speed steal and even switch coins after reading this book. But there is a special martial arts chapter that teaches how to link this skill to real martial arts.

Andrew: That sounds incredible. Have you written other books?

Keith: Those are the only two in harback. In ebook format, I have Secrets of Teaching Martial Arts More Effectively, 10 Days to Better Knife Fighting, and The Punch Papers.

Andrew: I have read some of those ... and a bunch of articles of yours on the Internet. What are your qualifications as a martial arts writer?

Keith: I have been into martial arts most of my life (I am almost 46). I have several certificates -- the one that means the most to me is my 1st level Teacher's Certification in Twin Dragons Method. I also have a Master's Degree from the University of Oregon that emphasized teaching methodology. And finally, I used to own a bookstore that featured "how-to" books.

That means I spent all day long reading and selling books that showed the very best methods of how to do almost anything -- from raising frogs to making soap.

Andrew: And you bring these skills to your martial-arts writing. I bet this is why you got tired of books that didn't teach people how.

Keith: Exactly. I have pretty high standards.

Andrew: May I ask how you are connected to Bruce Lee?

Keith: I am not, really. It's that six degrees of separation concept.

Andrew: So, how can you connect to him indirectly?

Keith: Well, for one, he and I were probably coin snatching at about the same time. I was a little kid, and he was ... the most famous martial artist of the 20th century. There are a few other connections too.

Andrew: Care to mention any?

Keith: Well, my martial arts teacher was one of the original Bruce Lee students. I have also had lessons and seminars from many of his other students. Also, I participated in the Bruce Lee Education Foindation for its first four years of existence.

Andrew: Those are a lot of ties. Do you stay in contact with any of them?

Keith: Always with my teacher, Steve Golden. But that's really about it. I would like to contact John Little, at some point. He was the first authorized historian of the Bruce Lee Estate. John reviewed my first book, and he granted me an interview on tape, that I have yet to use. I also have one from Linda Lee Cadwell, Bruce Lee's widow.

Andrew: How do you plan to use those interviews?

Keith: I am sure you'll see pieces of them in an upcoming work.

Andrew: We are almost out of time, but did want to ask you about punching. Is it true that you can punch someone from only an inch away? Keith: Anyone can punch from a one-inch distance. I think you are asking if I can do damage or hurt someone with a one-inch punch. And the answer is yes, I can. Of course, I am not as good at it as my teacher, and he's not as good at it as Bruce Lee was.

Andrew: But you are famous for punching, right?

Keith: I think I am 'known' for writing so many articles that focus on punching.

Andrew: Can our listeners find your articles on punching?

Keith: Some appear on web sites like www.KerwinBenson.com, and www.PunchHarder.com.

Of course, I publish articles that focus on punching in the ezine, Martial Arts Mastery. But the best of my punching articles, with articles and chapters you can't get other places, have been collected into one ebook, The Punch Papers.

Andrew: I think we are out of time. I want to thank Keith Pascal once again for this interview. Check out his new book on Coin Snatching or read his ebook on how to improve your punches.

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