The Sugar Quill can only function with the help of many, many valuable volunteers. We have help and assistance from many members for different projects.

In addition, the Sugar Quill forums would not run as smoothly without the help of the Admins and the Forum Ghosts.

The people below are the official Sugar Quill beta-readers. When you submit a story, you will be assigned one of these individuals to help you.

~*~

Name: Ada Kensington

Age: 19

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Chaucer, Shakespeare, Marlowe, J. R. R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Angela Carter (don't read too much into that), Jane Austen, Franz Kafka (again, don't read too much into that), C. J. Sansom (a newer favourite) and Alexander McCall-Smith.

Education: M. A. in English Language.

In real life: University student with far too much time on her hands...

Zodiac: Libra

~*~

Name: Arya

Age: 19

Favorite Authors (besides JK Rowling): John Steinbeck, Edward Albee (and most other Absurdist playwrights), David Sedaris, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Phillip Pullman, William Faulkner, Jane Austen, and whoever else sounds good at the moment.

Education: Currently in college for a BFA in Creative Writing

In real life: A college student and bookstore employee dreaming of shelving her own books someday.

Zodiac: Pisces

~*~

Name: Beth Degner (Ivory)

Age: 23

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Nick Hornby, Jeffery Archer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Madeline L'Engle, Oscar Wilde (and any sort of Poli Sci book that I feel will fill some of the gaps that college is creating

Education: International Politics and Aerospace Engineering currently in progress

In real life: Third year college student who sometimes reads the wrong thing during classes. (But Harry Potter in Spanish will keep one awake while the rest of the Chem class is falling asleep!) Currently working on a pilot's license and am a runner and spinner (of thread, not on a stationary bicycle)

Zodiac: Gemini

~*~

Name: Birgit

Age: 22

Favourite authors (besides JK Rowling): Many Dutch authors (Bernlef and Renate Dorrestein, for example) and aside from that Tolkien and Agatha Christie.

Education: MSc in mathematics

In Real Life: PhD student, doing mathematics all day. :-)

Zodiac: Scorpio

~*~

Name: Dogstar

Age: ism

Favourite authors (besides JK Rowling): Jane Austen, David Lodge, E Nesbit, Julian Barnes, George Eliot, John Wyndham, Mary Wesley, Lucy M Boston, E M Forster, Tove Jansson, Antonia Forest, Joan Aiken, Diana Wynne Jones, Alice Thomas Ellis, Catherine Storr, Umberto Eco

Education: Just started a PhD in media, education, internet studies sort of thing. And Harry Potter.

Real life: Paid student. Yay!

Zodiac: Libra

~*~

Name: Elanor Gamgee (also known as Captain Kathy of the Good Ship R/H)

Age: 27

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): J.R.R. Tolkien, Richard Adams, Margaret Peterson Haddix, James Joyce, Sharon Creech, Megan Whalen Turner, L.M. Montgomery, E.L. Konigsburg, Jon Scziesca, Mark Twain

Education: B.A. in English, M.L.S. (another Masters of Library Science!)

In real life: Children's librarian, storyteller, and book reviewer

Zodiac: Aquarius

~*~

Name: Emelye

Age: 24

Favourite authors (besides JKR): I'll restrain myself and just list the top five. Jane Austen, Francis Hodgson Burnett, Robert Jordan, Douglas Adams, C.S. Friedman

Education: Working on a JD (law)

Real life: When I'm not buried to the eyebrows in schoolwork, I really enjoy the theater and seeing live performances - opera, ballet, musicals, plays, orchestras, etc. I'm an unapologetic nerd. I will discuss law for fun, I like taking long hours by myself in museums, and I've seen the original Star Wars trilogy an obscene number of times.

Zodiac: Virgo, through and through.

~*~

Name: Felina Black

Age: 27

Favorite Authors (besides J.K. Rowling): Oh, too many to name as I'm always finding new treasures. But, here goes: Richard Adams, J.R.R. Tolkein, Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Michael Shaara, Jeff Shaara, Charles Dickens, Eoin Colfer, Shakespeare, Michael Crichton, and on and on….

Education: B.A. in Political Science and Honors from Baldwin-Wallace College (it's near Cleveland, OH) and J.D. from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!)

In real life: Attorney Editor for legal publishing company, where I spend entirely too much time discussing politics, religion, evolution, etc., etc. with co-workers rather that doing actual work. Also enjoy scrapbooking, reading, watching movies, and attempting to convince my poor, unenlightened husband of the brilliance of all things Potter.

Zodiac: Virgo; Year of the Dragon

~*~

Name: Genesse

Age: 29

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Jane Austen, L. M. Montgomery, Gail Carson Levine, Robin McKinley, Meg Cabot, Eoin Colfer, Avi, Larry McMurtrey, Stephenie Meyer, Elizabeth Gaskell, Louise Rennison, Helen Fielding

Education: B.A. English

In real life: I don't use my degree.

Zodiac: I am definitely a Leo

~*~

Name: girlyswot

Age: of Reason

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Jasper Fforde, Dorothy L. Sayers, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, Antonia Forest, P.G. Wodehouse. I like poetry too, especially Gerard Manley Hopkins, John Donne and George Herbert.

Education: Way too much for my own good. Did you not see my username?

Real life: Yup, that would pretty much be what I do when I'm not online. For more information, see under Education

Zodiac: Nope, not playing.

~*~

Name: Gufa

Age: 20

Favorite Authors (besides J.K. Rowling): Madeleine L'Engle, Roald Dahl, Mary Stewart, L.M. Montgomery, Agatha Christie, L. Frank Baum, C.S. Lewis, Primo Levi, Louisa May Alcott, Luigi Pirandello, Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, Giuseppe Verga, Shakespeare, Plato, Euripides...many more, too...

Education: graduated from a Classical Studies High School and am studying for a Degree in European Literatures for Cultural Productions (that's the literal translation...basically, it means publishing, editing, journalism...)

In real life: Aside from studying (hard)...I read, write, take pictures, go for long walks on my ocean boardwalk...Also I do translating work whenever I can.

Zodiac: Do you guys believe in Astrology?? I'm an Aquarius.

~*~

Name: Hazelle

Age: 19

Favorite Authors (besides J.K. Rowling): Orson Scott Card, Garth Nix, Louise Rennison, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Liz Berry, Neil Gaiman, John Steinbeck, Ursula K. Le Guin

Education: B.A. in English literature in progress

In real life: I'm a college student in a hippie town. Real life probably doesn't apply. That said, I spend most of my time reading, writing and editing which is WAY more fun for the Quill than for one's English degree.

Zodiac: Capriciouscorn... I mean, Capricorn

~*~

Name: HelenH

Age: 35

Favourite authors (besides JKR): Susanna Clarke, Ian McEwan, Agatha Christie, Michael Morpurgo, Lewis Carroll, Kate Atkinson, Charles Dickens, Robert Graves, Anne Fine

Education: BSc in Biology, PGCE (post graduate teaching qualification) for primary and middle-years education, with specialisms in Literacy and Science

Real Life: Primary School Teacher

~*~

Name:Igenlode Wordsmith

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Diane Duane, Arthur Ransome, Neville Shute, Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, C.S.Forester,
J.R.R.Tolkien, Dorothy L.Sayers, C.J.Cherryh, Michael Scott Rohan, Lois McMaster Bujold, Terry Pratchett, Libby Purves, Elizabeth Goudge, Rudyard Kipling, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, George MacDonald Fraser, Susan Cooper, Stephen King, Josephine Tey, Alexandre Dumas, Joan Aiken and Rosemary Sutcliff

~*~

Name: J Forias

Age: 22

Favourite Authors (beside JKR): Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, Timothy Zahn, C. S. Lewis and James Joyce.

Education: LLB in Law

In Real Life: I am in flux. I'm in the process of trying to publish a novel, as well as doing placements in schools with the intention of becoming an English Teacher. I am also studying an MA in English Literature, part time.

Zodiac: Scorpio

~*~

Name:Jo Wickaninnish

Age: 20

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Stephen King, Nicholas Sparks, C.S. Lewis, Antoine de Saint Exupéry, J.D. Salinger

Education: B.A. in Theatre Production almost done... almost.

In real life: Undergradute theatre production student planning on becoming a seminary student next year (provided some seminary is crazy enough to actually accept me).

Zodiac: Leo

~*~

Name: Lady Narcissa

Age: About the same age Sirius would be if... oh well, same age as Remus. And Peter.

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): James Joyce, Louise Erdrich, Emma Bull, Ray Bradbury, William Butler Yeats, Pablo Neruda, Jim Thompson, William Shakespeare...

Education: B.A., English Literature

In real life: Massage therapist, feral cat rescuer, mom to an active 10-year-old, fic writer, editor, and part-time Sirius.

Zodiac: Scorpio (of course)

~*~

Name: Moey (Deputy Headmistress)

Age: 87

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne Rice, Judy Blume, Madeleine L'Engle, Charlotte Bronte, Dr. Seuss, Russell Freedman, Jean Fritz, Shel Silverstein, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Lois Lowry, Louis Sarchar, Maurice Sendak, J.D. Salinger, Berkeley Breathed, T.H. White, Geoffrey Chaucer

Education: B.A. in Geography, M.Ed.

In real life: Middle School Teacher

Zodiac: Capricorn

~*~

Name: Mysterious Muggle

Age: 22

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): J.R.R. Tolkien, John Marsden, Aaron Allston, Roald Dahl, Terry Pratchet, Mathew Stover

Education: Part-way through a Bachelor of Information Technology

In real life: Student!

Zodiac: Leo

~*~

Name: Night Zephyr

Age: 46 (I’m certain I’ve aged in wizard years, though)

Favorite authors: J.K.Rowling (naturally), J.R.R. Tolkien, Madeline L’Engle, Philip Pullman, A.A. Milne, J.D. Salinger, Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, Ray Bradbury, Charles Dickens, Judy Blume, Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, Louise Rennison.

Education: Bachelor of Science (there’s always sniggering if I don’t spell it out!) in Child Development and Psychology. I’m also just a thesis away from a Master’s in Education.

In real life: I work as a Bilingual Third Grade Teacher (sure, I can beta in Spanish, too!). At home, I try to manage a household that resembles the Burrow in many ways--lots of family, friends, teenagers, animals, music, laughter, and general chaos.

Zodiac: Sagittarius, near the cusp of Scorpio

~*~

Name: Norwegian Blue

Age: 23

Favorite authors (besides JKR): Neil Gaiman, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bill Bryson, Terry Pratchett, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Roach, and Douglas Adams.

Education: B.A. in History.

In Real Life: I recently graduated with my very useful degree in history and am working as a receptionist until I figure out where I'm going.

Zodiac: Cancer

~*~

Name: nundu

Age: perpetually 87

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Oh dear, I'm really fickle; I'll read anything that strikes my fancy. Authors I've read repeatedly? Ray Bradbury, Jeffrey Archer, Maeve Binchy, Philip Pullman, Tom Clancy, Eoin Colfer, early Steven King, Herman Wouk, Leon Uris...the list goes on forever!

Education: Drama and Education and an MrS at the School of Hard Knocks

In real life: I'm an obsessive Harry Potter fan (duh!), love to sew, crochet and all manner of handcrafts, draw, write, travel and enjoy my husband and children. In my spare time I'm an Administrator at a very famous educational camp (yes, it's open year around and you've heard of it).

Zodiac: Not my thing at all. I do share my birthday with Rupert Grint!

~*~

Name: Ozma

Age: 41

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): JRR Tolkien, Peter Beagle, Connie Willis, Sherri S. Tepper, Charles Dickens, Stephen King, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Susan Cooper, Neil Gaiman, Mollie Hunter, Tim Powers, Peter David, Sharyn McCrumb, Harry Turtledove, Maggy Thomas, Brian Jacques, Robert Westall, Jane Lindskold, Terry Pratchett, Mary Brown, Amy Tan, Lindsey Davis, D.M. Thomas, Richard Adams, Charles de Lint, Diane Duane.

Education: B.A. Communication Theory

In real life: Former proofreader/copy editor, current mother of two teenagers who works in a school
cafeteria so I can be with my kids after school and during the summer. My cat thinks she owns me and she's
probably right.

Zodiac: Libra, but I never really got the hang of that whole 'balancing' thing.

~*~

Name:PirateQueen

Age: 30s

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): It varies, but currently George Eliot, Jane Austen, Christopher Marlowe, Wilkie Collins, Charlotte Bronte, Philip Pullman, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, P.J. Tracy, Garth Nix, Karin Slaughter, Graham Hurley, Stuart Pawson.

Education: Ph.D. in Criminology

In real life: Criminology project researcher - which varies between conducting research interviews, analysing data, writing journal articles, teaching students and making coffee ...

Zodiac: Capricorn

~*~

Name: Stubefied

Age: 26

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, Arthur Miller, Mary Franics Shura, Zilpha Keatley Snyder,
Jerry Spinelli, Robert Westall, Laura Ingalls Wilder

Education: B.A. (Psychology), M.A.T. (Elementary Education)

In real life: I try to figure out why there's an inverse relationship between my qualifications for a position and the principal's interest in hiring me. Sometimes it's even funny.

Zodiac: I don't put much store in astrology, and you wouldn't either if you shared a birthday with Voldemort. (We're Capricorns.)

~*~

Name: Suburban House Elf

Age: 41

Favourite authors (besides JK Rowling): Arthur Conan Doyle, Nancy Mitford, Anthony Trollope, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Bill Bryson, Sally Morgan.

Education: B.Ec. (an accountancy major – how dull), Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws (majoring in revenue law – even duller)

In real life: Burnt out lawyer, freelance writer for a law book publisher and full-time mum to three demanding but delightful daughters.

Zodiac: I don’t believe in astrology. But I share my birthday with Professor Flitwick. For what it’s worth, we’re both Librans.

~*~

Name: Sveltskye

Age: 19

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Orson Scott Card, Philip Pullman, LM Montgomery, J.R.R. Tolkien, Sophocles (you gotta love Antigone)

Education: High school, working on bachelor's degree (probably in some combination of art major and medicine/forensics minor)

In real life: Well, see above. Add in obsessing about Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spending time with family and friends and you've basically got the picture.

Zodiac: Pisces. I'm a dreamy fish

~*~

Name: TDU

Age: 44

Favorite Authors (besides JK Rowling): Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, Isabel Allende, Margaret Atwood, Margaret Drabble, A. S. Byas, Rose Tremain, Tim Winton , Julian Barnes, David Lodge, Tim Winton (again because most of you won't have heard of him and you really should read him), Peter Carey

Education: B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology, B.Ed (Primary). Studying for a Diploma in pattern-drafting (means drafting patterns for made t0 measure clothes)

In real life: Kept Woman(!) and Mother but intend to set up business shortly making formal dresses and charging exorbitant prices.

Zodiac: What?

~*~

Name: Thrennish

Age: 23

Favorite Authors (besides JKR): Edward Gorey, Dave Barry, Harper Lee, L.M. Montgomery, Lemony Snicket, Agatha Christie, Ellis Peters, Dean Koontz (brain candy!)

Education: Not enough. Two years of dabbling in assorted social sciences. Hope to return to school and pursue a degree in History and eventually an MLS, but will probably just end up teaching.

In real life: Despite a ready and willing brain, I'm back at home with the parental units while medical and immigration issues are sorted. So, professional bum. :)

Zodiac: Aries/Taurus cusp, year of the monkey. (insert monkey joke here)

~*~

Name: Whimsy

Age: 23 1/2

Favourite authors (besides JK Rowling): All sorts. A glance at my bookshelves reveals names like J.R.R. Tolkien, Patrick O'Brian, Douglas Adams, Robert Jordan, Wilbur Smith, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Susan Hill, Ursula Le Guin, and Frank Herbert. And that's just the first shelf...

Education: I've got a BSc and an MSc in Computer Science, and I'm working on completing the set with a PhD. If I collect all three I get a free toy dinosaur.

In Real Life: You mean wizards aren't real? I'm a perpetual student, except on Sundays when I'm a part-time Intergalactic Emperor.

Zodiac: Aries, the Golden Flying Sheep.

~*~

Name: Yolanda

Age: 87 (I dare Dr. C to call himself old in my presence!)

Favorite authors: Anthony Trollope, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Dumas, Victor Hugo, and when I feel like being depressed, Feodor Dostoyevsky and Charles Dickens. I also like Michael Crighton, John Le Carre, and Tom Clancy. I like non-fiction history books and biographies too. If I want to laugh, there's always Dave Barry and Bill Bryson.

In Real Life: I'm an Assistant D.A. I work part-time right now, preparing cases for submission to the Grand Jury. I read offense reports, nag police officers for more evidence, decide whether we should seek indictment and how the case should be indicted. The rest of the time, I care for and nag my husband, son, and pet pug.

Degrees: No, I do not have a degree in nagging. I have a B.A. in political science from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and a J.D. from the University of Texas.

Zodiac sign: Virgo

~*~

Name: Zsenya (Headmistress)

Age: 87

Favorite authors (besides JK Rowling): Jane Austen, L.M. Montgomery, E. M. Forster, Paul Auster, Nikolaj Gogol, Thomas Pynchon, Vikram Seth, and whoever else I'm into this week

Education: B.A., Russian Area Studies; M.L.S. (that's Masters of Library Science!)

In real life: Curator for Historical Manuscripts, caretaker of monkey fur capes, zebra skin rugs, and thought-provoking political publications from the 1970s

Zodiac: Gemini

The Sugar Quill was created by Zsenya and Arabella. For questions, please send us an Owl!