Who's the author of "...like a brick wrapped in velvet...?

I'm Simon Raybould (Dr, in fact, but my PhD isn't in this field) and I wrote ...like a brick wrapped in velvet...

For over 20 years I researched at Newcastle University in the northeast of England, UK. Now I split my time between that research and running a communications training company. My interest in presenting stemmed from watching research presentations when I realised that although the actual research itself was good - some of it simply staggering! - the way it was presented was the exact opposite.

When researchers were presenting to researchers that was bad enough, but when researchers were presenting to practitioners it became something of a disaster. The outstanding research wasn't being applied the 'real world' (whatever that is!) because only the researchers who carried it out could really understand it.

Add to that the fact that my Dad was an actor and I've got performing in my blood and you can see why I started to research presenting itself. This book is based upon that research and the many, many training courses I've run in the meantime. Much of what's in the book is covered in my company's public presentation skills training courses, too. The book is simply for those people who want some training but can't get to face-to-face training for whatever reason.

If you come on one of these courses you'll get a free download of the book and if you buy the book you'll get a discount on the course.

The personal bits

I was born in Sheffield, England, but moved up to the northeast of England many years ago. I fell in love with the area and stayed. I live, happily, with one wife and two kids - though it sometimes feels like more!