Welcome to Cuddles, Snuggles & Tales
Hi, I’m Tricia Alayne, also known as Granny to my amazing grandsons. Together with my private family collaborator D.D.M, we create children’s stories inspired by real life, real kids, and everyday moments we don’t want to be forgotten.
To the left are Jiblet and Modo ~ familiar faces from our YouTube stories and two of the hearts behind this whole project. (🐿️ and occasional consultants)
While the stories are being illustrated, you can already enjoy them on our YouTube channel! Each story is a read-aloud against a simple dark screen ~ a gentle format designed to help little ones relax, listen closely, use their imagination, and peacefully drift off to sleep.
(🐿️ Please subscribe ~ it’s free, and it helps her more than acorns ever could.)
(🐿️ Tap “Subscribe”! It costs nothing, and it keeps us squirrels employed.)
Why We Create These Stories
I’ve always been drawn to working with children. Even when life took me in other directions, I somehow found my way back.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis in Special Education, and over the years I’ve seen how powerful stories can be ~ not just for learning, but for connection, comfort, and imagination.
Now, as “Granny” to my two amazing grandsons, that love has found its truest home. Together with my private family collaborator D.D.M, we turn real conversations, everyday adventures, and the small moments we never want to forget into stories families can return to again and again.
CST is more than a collection of books. It’s our way of preserving childhood, nurturing imagination, and creating something meaningful we can build together ~ and share with you.
Growing up, my childhood was filled with bike rides, four-wheelers, crawdads and lightning bugs, hide-and-seek and tag, skating, fishing with my dad, shopping with my mom, and time spent with my own little grandma Bernice. We didn’t have a lot of electronics ~ we had imagination.
That spirit still shapes every story we create. We want children to build forts, invent adventures, laugh loudly, and make memories they’ll one day pass down to their families.
Our stories will always carry bits of those simple moments ~ sprinkled with imagination, warmth, and gentle life lessons. And thanks to my private family collaborator D.D.M, you may even catch a quiet wink, or two meant just for the grown-ups (like walking uphill both ways). We believe stories should make children giggle ~ and adults smile knowingly, too.
A Shelf of Stories & Memories
Before I ever wrote a story of my own, I was surrounded by them.
This shelf holds more than books. It holds memories ~ childhood favorites, beloved classics, and a few treasured keepsakes that have followed me through the years. Among them sits a doll my Grandma Bernice gave me more than 45 years ago, still quietly reminding me where my love of stories first began.
Some of the books carry threads of heritage and inspiration ~ small nods to roots and wisdom that matter deeply to people I love. Stories connect us across generations, across cultures, and across time.
🐿️ Meet the Squirrels
(Your unofficial creative team… who take their jobs very seriously.)
📋 Clipboard Squirrel
Keeps track of acorns, deadlines, and all the things Tricia forgets to write down.
Often spotted near important buttons whispering, “Click here… it’s helpful.”
🌰 Accountant Squirrel
Counts imaginary acorns and reminds everyone that subscribing is free.
Loves tidy piles. Hates chaos. Lives in chaos anyway.
🎨 Creative Chaos Squirrel
Shows up uninvited, rearranges the plot, adds three new characters, and leaves half‑eaten acorns and cheese-its everywhere.
🍃 Gossip Squirrel
Has seen enough acorn drama to write a trilogy and refuses to be surprised by anything anymore.
Offers unsolicited wisdom in the form of grumbles, side‑eye, and the occasional “I told you that would happen.”
Shows up in parentheses to set the record straight, whether anyone asked or not.
Join the list to hear when new stories are released or when a new Messy Middle blog drops.
I only send emails when there’s something worth sharing ~ No inbox clutter.
If you’d also like free printables in the future, mention that when you join, and the squirrels and I will make sure you get them.
(🐿️ Join the email list! No spam ~ just updates, new stories, and the occasional squirrel interruption.)
(🐿️ Hop onto the email list! We’ll send story updates, behind‑the‑scenes peeks, and zero chaos. Probably.)
Written with love for my grandsons – and for every child who sees the world with wonder.
@2026 Tricia – All Rights Reserved
(🐿️ You made it to the bottom of the page. We’re impressed. Have an acorn.)
(🐿️ Squirrels approve of your scrolling skills.)