JULIA JOHNSON trained as a drama teacher in the UK, then moved to Dubai with her architect husband. She soon became a familiar face reading children's stories on Dubai television. She is keen to encourage awareness of the Arabian Peninsula's rich cultural heritage through her writing. She has toured schools and universities in the Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait with talks and workshops for students and teachers. Most of her books have been published by Stacey International, including One Humpy Grumpy Camel (2003), The Pearl Diver (2003), The Cheetah's Tale (2005), Saluki, Hound of the Bedouin (2005) and The Peacock and the Mermaid (2007). She now divides her time between Dubai and an old watermill in Worcestershire.