John Graden

Author Central

John Graden firmly believes that you don’t need a gun to shoot yourself in the foot.

Why I Write

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher or an athlete. My 45+ year career in the martial arts has afforded me both, but not quite like I suspected.

My books are a chronicle of success and spectacular failures. They reflect what I’ve learned through many seasons of life. From the coming of age martial arts biography in a decadent dojo to how to overcome self-doubt, I use my own experiences to help the reader to see the story in a real-world context.

The Impostor Syndrome landed me on the Dr. Oz show and Who Killed Walt Bone? gave me the rare chance to pitch a Hollywood producer on making the book into a film. While that didn’t fly (yet), I like to share what I’ve learned along the way with readers.

I’m excited to move into a new season of life with a podcast and new series of books that will combine the tactical skills of self-defense with important lessons about self-development. Essentially, they’re all about how to win the battles around you and within you.

If you’d like to stay in touch or get alerts when my podcast and books launch, please visit JohnGraden.com for more information or just to say hi. You can also email me john@johngraden.com.