Tucked in a corner of Kuala Lumpur, the modest home studio of Dumpling The Tiger and Peel author Beatrice Oh (who goes by the pseudonym Ohbeatricee) is a world of its own, brimming with whimsical sketches and beloved picture books stacked in joyful disarray.
Among these treasures are Italian illustrator Beatrice Alemagna’s Things That Go Away, picture books by Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao, and other well-loved references – all within arm’s reach of her workstation, ready to spark inspiration. Drawings of grumpy banana peels and tigers caught in playful moments cover her walls, while writing cards filled with scribbles and sheets of drawing paper with rough sketches hint at her next story taking shape.
This is the creative laboratory of Beatrice Oh, one of Malaysia’s up-and-coming picture book authors whose stories delight children while resonating deeply with adults. She combines whimsical narratives with subtle philosophical undertones, weaving Malaysian specificity into universal themes. Every book she creates invites readers to see the world a little differently, earning her a growing and devoted following.
The making of a storyteller
Her love for books started early, sparked by the ones her mother would buy for her when she was younger. “Books were a big part of my childhood, thanks to my mom,” Beatrice recalls. Despite many of the books being encyclopaedias, their detailed illustrations planted the seed for her creativity and imagination.
However, being a self-published author wasn’t something she planned at all. She initially studied marketing before switching to art and ultimately graduating with a degree in graphic design. At the time, she pictured a steady, structured future: spending about ten years in an agency, drawing on the side to improve her skills and with a strong enough portfolio, she hoped a publisher would eventually discover her. “I thought I’d finally publish my first book in my 40s,” she admits.
After a while, she realised that waiting to be discovered wasn’t the only way forward. “You have to be really, really good for a publisher to find you. I wasn’t the best, but I wasn’t the worst. I was somewhere in the middle. But I also knew I had stories in my head,” she says. This realisation pushed her to take control of her own creative journey.
Her first book, Dumpling The Tiger, came together during the MCO period, inspired by her late orange cat, Hansa and an old drawing of a girl and a tiger by the window. It began as a personal project with just 300 copies printed, as she assumed only a handful of people would be interested. “I thought, who’s going to buy a book you can’t carry around or use?” she says. To her surprise, it sold out within the first month.
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Inside the hustle of a self-published author
Self-publishing means wearing every hat, and for Beatrice, that includes writer, illustrator, packer, distributor, and reluctant accountant. “I thought I’d just drink coffee, write, and draw,” she laughs. “But now I do everything from invoices and packing to printing and marketing.”
Each month, she manually invoices bookstores, checks stock, absorbs costs for damaged returns, juggles postage logistics, and more. Despite the grind, Beatrice is committed to keeping her books accessible. She prices them under RM50, a decision driven more by principle than profit.
“I want Malaysians to be able to buy picture books without breaking the bank,” she says. To make it work, she offers gift sets and collectible add-ons – not just to slightly increase margins, but also as part of her marketing efforts. Every copy sold through her website also includes personal touches such as handwritten names, collector sheets, and stickers to make each book feel special and worth sharing. “These tiny touches remind people a real human made this,” she says.
When asked if she still hopes a publisher might one day come knocking, she says, “Actually, I’m pretty chill about it now.” She adds, “It would be great if someone said, ‘The next book is on us. You just write and draw.’” She admits that having someone take over the logistics would be a relief, especially as she starts to look for distributors, but she no longer needs validation from a publisher.
“To get to that stage, you have to be award-winning. And even then, they might not want the stories I write – just the drawings.” For now, it’s more satisfying to build things on her own terms.
The art of leaving room and embracing ignorance
For her next book, Beatrice is exploring a looser, more experimental art style – a shift that reflects not just creative evolution, but a philosophy she returns to often: the power of not knowing. “Sometimes it’s the ignorance that fuels creativity,” she says.
“If you think too much before you start, it can stop you from even trying.” Rather than mapping out every detail from the outset, she prefers to figure things out step by step, letting intuition and curiosity guide her choices.
That mindset extends beyond art. As a self-published author, she had to overcome the steep learning curve of doing everything herself, but she chose to embrace it with a certain calm. “I don’t know a lot of things. I can’t grasp big concepts,” she says with a laugh. “But that ignorance is what gives me the bravery to start.” Rather than being overwhelmed by the big picture, she breaks down each challenge into manageable steps: write the story, then think about format, paper, printing, and so on.
To aspiring creatives, her advice is simple: start before you’re ready. “Just do it first. Just fail first. It’s better than failing late,” she says. In her view, hesitation kills momentum, while early action – even imperfect ones – leads to experience, clarity, and unexpected opportunities.
Even now, after two books and a growing audience, she still considers herself at the beginning. “Right now is also the beginning of life,” she says. “Even if I’m 70 or 80, I’ll still be at the beginning.” It’s this mindset of being open, humble, and willing to learn that keeps her moving forward, book by book.
You can purchase Beatrice Oh’s books directly through her website or find them at select bookstores and retailers:
Kinokuniya | MPH | Tsutaya | Twigs | Ilham Giftstore | Snackfood | Cziplee | Litbooks
Follow her on Instagram @ohbeatricee for updates on her upcoming book and creative projects.
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Photography by Imran Sulaiman