James J Downes is a born communicator, public speaker and author who was born in Chicago. He attended UCLA in Los Angeles and attained a degree in Linguistics, before setting off on an adventurous 12 months of traveling, during which he visited every country in Central and South America. Returning to Chicago, James embarked on a career as a translator, but he soon discovered that his travels had given him a skill that was more use to him than anything he had learned in university - the ability to speak to almost anyone. Working to further develop his skills, James decided to write his first book entitled Conversation Skills. In it he details how the reader can overcome shyness and become an effective communicator and the success of it led him to write more on the subject. His other books revolve around the same topic and are easily sourced through Amazon. Today, James is a full-time author and motivational speaker on the subject of communication. He travels widely, delivering speeches to diverse groups of people in the US and beyond, making effective communication something that anyone can achieve. James lives in a small town just outside Chicago, with his wife, three children and their dog. In his spare time he likes to hike and take his children on camping trips. He also enjoys the simple pleasures of life, like cooking on his barbecue, reading and socialising with friends and family.
