Another Announcement.

Dear writers: It has come to Eel's attention that for some reason best known to itself, Gmail has been automatically sending submissions to 'Spam' (although it is worth noting that Gmail doesn't extend the same 'courtesy' to bloody Facebook notifications. The mind really does boggle). This means that Eel did not receive a couple of writers' submissions. Eel is very sorry if you were one of these writers. Until she can figure out WHY Gmail is doing this to her precious submissions, Eel has decided to change the way she organises submissions. From now on, whenever she receives a new submission she will email the writer to let them know that their submission has been received. She will aim to send this email between 2-3 weeks of each submission sent. If you do not receive your acknowledgement email within this time frame, it means one of two things: 1. Eel and her Small Fry are swamped. 2. It means Eel did not receive your work. In either case, writers should send an email to one of her Small Fry to check the status of their submissions. Nicky Ellam will be dealing with these queries and can be contacted at nixierox@hotmail.co.uk. If you have to contact Nicky please put 'Submission Query for the Eel' in the email's title so she knows to look at it straight away. Nicky is NOT to be contacted UNLESS you have a question regarding the status of your submission. All other general questions can be sent to her Eel via her email eclecticeelzine@gmail.com or on her Facebook page, as well as on Eel's blog, where they will be answered as quickly as possible.

Eel would like to apologise to the writers this happened to. She only became aware of the problem on Friday. She has done her best to retrieve people's submissions so that they can still be considered for Issue Two, and regrets that she was unable to do this for everyone. Please be assured that she is doing her best to sort the problem out, as well as improve how submissions are organised. She hopes those writers will consider submitting to her again. Eel would not only be happy to consider their work for a later issue, she will also prioritise their submission so that they get a faster response. (Just put something like 'Gmail ate my last Submission' in the email's title so that the Eel and her Small Fry know to look at it asap). Keep fishing.

Announcement!

Dear writers: All those of you who have submitted for Issue Two should have received an email from her Small Fry letting you know about the status of your work. If you haven't received an email then please get in touch with  the Eel and she will look into it for you. Eel can be contacted at eclecticeelzine@gmail.com. Eel sends her apologies if you have not received your response- her Small Fry have been inundated with emails and haven't left their laptops for two days. Eel thinks they may actually have stopped seeing letters and words!

If any of you were wanting to submit and have not done so, Eel and her Small Fry are more than happy to consider your work for Issue Three.

Eel presents her latest F.O.E.!

As many of you know, the Eel and her Small Fry decided to give up sleep for Lent and put together a second issue of the best prose and poetry we receive from around the world. What is less well known is that behind the scaly face of the zine there is a horde of unsung heroes who stop the Eel and her Small Fry cracking up academically and socially. (They also come round and do things like build desks for the Eel- a task your favourite fish finds rather difficult, given that she is not in the possession of thumbs). As a salutation for ensuring the Eel doesn't die from self-neglect, she salutes them by giving them letters after their name: F.O.E, (which stands for Friends Of Eel...obviously). This got Eel thinking. For some reason you humans are rather taken with a despotic literary fish who has minions that help her rule the River Humber with an Iron Fin, and she's found that her list of F.O.Es keeps growing. And of course, where would the Eel be without the writers? Eel has therefore decided to  give one of the writers who will be appearing in Issue Two some random letters after her name. Eel is proud to present Mary Stone Dockery, F.O.E to the aquatic literary scene, in honour of her first collection of poetry: Mythology of Touch. Released on Monday, it's sure to cause a sensation and can be bought at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Mary+stone+dockery. In the words of her editor, her collection shows us how the mythology of touch includes the spaces in between-both physical and emotional-and how we both survive and rely on them. The dangers and risks each speaker survives draws us in for a safe haven of our own yearning." Dennis Etzel Jr., editor
 

One of Mary's poems will be appearing in the second issue of Eclectic Eel, which will be available in April.  


For those writers who have yet to hear from the Eel regarding the status of their submissions, please bear with us. There are a number of pieces still under review so don't panic if you haven't heard from us yet. We aim to have let everybody know by Monday. Happy fishing!

Call for Submissions!

It's been a while since you last heard from the Eel and she has decided to drop a line to announce that no, she is not dead. She has been busy looking at the latest batch of submissions and would like to thank all the writers who have sent their work in for Issue Two. We will be getting back to you all very shortly. If anyone has any poetry or prose they would like to submit to the Eel then please do so. Eel never closes for submissions. All work should be sent to Eel's email address: eclecticeelzine@gmail.com with a brief biography. The Eel and her Small Fry are aiming to have Issue Two out by the end of April so please send your work within the next couple of weeks if you'd like it to feature in this next issue. Sadly the Eel is skint so she cannot afford to pay writers. She does however send them a contributor's copy of the zine in which their work appears. The word count for prose is 1500 maximum and poems should not be any longer than 30 lines. Worried that your stuff may not fit the 'theme' of Eclectic Eel? Fear not. The rule is that if she likes it she publishes it. She's not called the Eclectic Eel for no reason.

Story from Issue One!

The Eel is very proud to give you a story from the first issue of her zine. Many thanks to Counting to Zero for giving us permission to put it up on the site. To buy a copy or contact us, send queries to eclecticeelzine@gmail.com. Enjoy!

Wishwhatever for the Here Ever After
Never had a wishwhatever, for the here ever after, with the long times and the passed me buys, couldn't buy into that secret feeling of wanting till the end of time, like I do now. Like it ever was real. However moreover moved over to the left hemisphere of taking it in spit it out til the next time, what I thought could be real; whenever brushed against the gossamer membrane breaks a broken plenty while, with the panty lies and the deep sighs and fake smiles disclosed misgivings.

But too much of the once try, bite shy, moth bitten smoked up on crack outlook of the past's time's pastimes passed me by with the won't try so maybe now could be the time to believe in the fate and the blind faith of the once hate, dear diary, smoked in a bowl and took some of the what what what what what ifs; could it be that these phantacies of dreamed up future ghosts of the past toasts oaths against switching on to the sweet reboot of the what could be?

But the never know how of the how could that be this real tripped the flick switch on those golden opps missed out upon by the one too punch drunk from the other times gets in the way of this sweet warm feeling, knowing, wanting to know this could be.

Must be some sweet path, dear dearie, for the drunk and the weary; take a look back at the sound of the memory of the needlehay sound of that which was not eavesdropped or picked upon in the piccu-niccu spreadsheet once embarked upon; looking for cognitive coordinates towards the place  a starting point upon which to build the shattered remains of the possibilities of what happened when those became possible realities, probabilities given to the likelihood of that which was could have will have been broken before we get anywhere, knowing one's good fortune in the game of chance this is.

So if there could  be a once would have been, how can the path be crossed without a marker?

Counting to Zero (c2z) is a phonic art graduate currently moving in synth punk circles but has also written numerous songs, poetry and prose in more traditional formats. The written word is also the artist's creative stomping ground, and an informed approach, as well as a love of language allows c2z to cut through conventional means to true expression in a futuristic yet timeless beat-style.

Connecting with the Eel

Eels have a reputation for being very difficult to get hold of because they slither and are slippery. However, this isn't the case with your Eclectic Eel. She loves hearing from  new people and so went all technological so that it is easier for people around the world to find her. Although she updates her site whenever she can, she can be found in other places if you want to hear from her on a more daily/weekly basis. Eel can be found:

• Duotrope: To see Eel's profile, click this link: https://duotrope.com/ (Please note that subscriptions to Duotrope are required to find the Eel's page and access the Eel's interview).
• Find the Eel on Facebook as 'Eclectic Eel'. 
• You can also connect with the Eel on Twitter @Eclecti25084782 
• For queries about the zine and to send the Eel your submissions, email her at eclecticeelzine@gmail.com  
• You can also leave comments on Eel's blog. 

Eel's Thought For the Day

Eel thinks the Eel is a muppet. She came back from the Clever Fish School's library and took off her hoody sock, only to discover that she had gone to her lectures still wearing her pajama sock underneath. What a silly little fish your Eel is!