Following in the longtime tradition of Esquire magazine globally, the February edition of Esquire Singapore includes our first-ever fiction special. Comprising six original short stories by Singaporean or Singapore-based authors commissioned exclusively for Esquire Singapore, the supplement represents our ongoing commitment to supporting local creative talent and to providing a platform for new writing. Each writer was commissioned to create an original piece of fiction of a theme and genre of their own choosing, and from the classic narrative-form short story to avant-garde exposition, the results represent the exciting variety of the authors.
“My own life has been shaped by many of the authors that got their starts in Esquire magazine: Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tom Wolfe," said editor-in-chief Mitchell Oakley Smith. "In taking the reins of Esquire Singapore, it was my goal to revive this tradition of publishing bold, original pieces of fiction – and in doing so bring greater attention to the fantastic writing scene that exists in our little corner of the world – and what better way to do so than with an all-out blockbuster edition with some of Singapore’s most exciting writers.”
The February 2021 edition features Asian-British actor and martial artist Lewis Tan on its cover. Tan stars in the forthcoming film reboot of Mortal Kombat (distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures with a Singapore release date of 16 April 2021) and is in the process of writing a screenplay about the life of his father, the acclaimed stunt coordinator (including for Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman), who grew up in Singapore. Also included is an exploration of the thriving audio drama genre of narrative podcasts.
The authors included in the special are listed below:
Stephanie Dogfoot is a poet and stand-up comedian who has won national poetry slams in Singapore and the UK, and is the founder and producer of a monthly poetry night called Spoke & Bird. Their first poetry collection, Roadkill for Beginners, was published in 2019.
Simon Vincent is the author of The Naysayer's Book Club, which was named the Book of the Year by the Singapore Book Awards in 2019. His writing has appeared in Nikkei Asian Review, Southeast Asia Globe, Mekong Review and OZY – as well, now, as Esquire Singapore.
Daniel Yeo is the author of the novel The Impermanence of Lilies and has also been published in Writing the City, an anthology of stories by the British Council.
Jordan Melic is Singaporean of Indian and Chinese heritage and studied filmmaking and literature in Paris, France, where he continues to live in the city with his young family. A Tree to Take Us Up to Heaven, a speculative odyssey told through the rich stories and many lives of island Southeast Asia, is his debut novel.
Lauren Ho is a reformed legal counsel who writes funny stories. Hailing from Malaysia, she lived in the United Kingdom, France and Luxembourg before moving with her family to Singapore, where she is ostensibly working on her next novel following the release of Last Tang Standing last year.
Luke Somasundram’s scripts have been staged by LASALLE and Checkpoint Theatre, and as you’ll find in his piece for Esquire’s fiction special, Re: The Non-Existent Albino Alligator, he has a unique ability to entertain and delight with his writing.
Esquire Singapore’s February 2021 issue, comprising the Esquire fiction special, can be found at most good bookstores and online platforms, or on our website. Grab your copy now!
