Sibella Laing studied history (specialising in 20th century Africa) at Cambridge (Newnham, 1967-70), and has a Certificate of Education from Oxford University. Brought up partly in West Africa, the West Indies and Malta, she studied Arabic in Lebanon, and has lived and worked much of her married life in the Middle East. An English Language teacher and teacher trainer, she has taught in Cairo, Riyadh, Muscat, and Kuwait. She has lectured in the UK and on cruise ships; and is a Licensed Lay Minister in churches of her home diocese Salisbury, in Wiltshire.