The Bad Things Bimble
The Bad Things Bimble
THE BAD THINGS BIMBLE (980 words) explores childhood trauma and post-trauma symptoms with the sensitive yet honest approach of Margaret Holmes’ A Terrible Thing Happened and the playful yet powerful anthropomorphization of emotions of Pixar's Inside Out. While its sweet spot is independent readers aged 7-10, THE BAD THINGS BIMBLE offers layers of meaningful allegory suitable for children of varying comprehension levels (down to assisted readers aged 5). It’s the book I wish I’d had as a kid living through repeated traumas. It’s also a love letter to my limbic system - you know, the pesky part of the nervous system that goes all Fight-Flight-Freeze at the worst possible moments?
“When the Bad Thing happened, I thought that was bad enough… but then a little monster showed up and made my life even worse! By reminding me about it all day long, giving me nightmares and mixed up feelings, and making me afraid of perfectly normal things, the Bad Things Bimble is ruining my life! What is this creature causing me so much trouble? Why is it saying it’s trying to help me? And worst of all, why do I have to talk about it?”
Sample spread from dummy book - final art in progress
About The team
Meet the Author
I write character-driven stories — for the screen and the page — about the messy work of surviving life and laughing through it.
Before any of that, I served in the U.S. Navy (2013–2017) as a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive with a TS/SCI clearance, which mostly meant learning Modern Hebrew and keeping my mouth shut about the rest. I've since picked up passable German and dabbled in a few others. Not French though— I have opinions about consonants.
I earned my B.A. in Communications/Film and TV Production from Old Dominion University in 2020. My first picture book, Bear's New Hat, is out now on Amazon and I'm seeking representation for 5 more manuscripts.
I see stories in everything so between picture books, screenplays, novels, and even a coffee table book, I currently have 18 writing projects in various stages of development. I've also begun production on my upcoming podcast and look forward to releasing season 1 in 2027.
I live in Carmel, Indiana, and I'm available to travel for writing work and other creative endeavors.
Meet the Illustrator
I'm Rachel Hugg, a graphic illustrator. I've primarily worked as an in-house graphic illustrator for the last few years, but have continued pursuing freelance opportunities with design and children's illustration. While I achieved my degree in 2019, my love of art has been a life long passion.
Despite the instant connection, after high school, design took a back seat as I went on to join the U.S. Navy and worked several years as an Arabic linguist. At the end of the day though art remained a constant in my life whether through design outlets or fun comics drawn to boost workplace morale. This continued driving interest pushed me to obtain my bachelor’s in Graphic and Media Arts and more seriously pursue art and design opportunities. Most notable among those has been my collaborative work with author and screenwriter Catherine Coates.
You can see more of my work at rachelhugg.com
Cat Coates & Rachel Hugg
In 2013 two wide-eyed Sailors fresh out of Boot Camp started a friendship that followed them from rigorous study at the Defense Language Institute, to their first duty station, and back into civilian life.
Shared childhood experiences and artistic passions deepened their bond, and when Cat (right) chose to pursue her dream of writing children's books she knew Rachel (left) would be the perfect partner to bring her words to life. The two veterans cut their teeth on shared projects, refining their processes, sharpening individual and collaborative skills, and navigating the logistic challenges of trying to balance literally anything with mom-life. This Author-Illustrator-Team debuts with The Bad Things Bimble, but no one grinds like moms and veterans do! While seeking representation they continue creating,
Cat scrambling to keep up with her muse and Rachel scrambling to keep up with the ever-growing collection of manuscripts in their shared drive.
Speaking of the shared drive, just wait til you see Rachel's art for Babysitters Need Unicorns! It's too cute for words!