Preparing for a chic Christmas - listen in to my latest interview!

Dear friends,

I am thrilled to share with you a lovely podcast I was lucky enough to feature on: it’s called the Cat Coach Cafe and my episode has just dropped.

Nina cat thought it appropriate that she be the star, both of this post, and the show. After all, why not, with such an excellent name as the Cat Coach Cafe? (This is me folding towels on our bed the other day and Nina ‘helping’ in case you were wondering. Aren’t cats just soooo ‘helpful’? Haha).

 

 

I had such a fun time chatting with the delightful Cat Coach Cafe host Monie. She is in Europe and I am in New Zealand, so we both had to stretch our schedules to find a time. It was first thing in the morning for me, and after dinner for Monie.

I really hope you enjoy this interview ❤️ We chat about preparing for a chic Christmas, what it’s like to have Christmas in the summer, and all sorts of cozy, Christmassy things, as well as other topics we wandered onto!

You can search for Cat Coach Cafe wherever you listen to your podcasts, or find it here on Monie’s Substack post with all the details.

 

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Our tree is glittering in the corner of our living room ✨✨

 

I really was considering just having our small decorations out because I couldn’t be bothered, but then decided ‘it’s only a few hours work and it looks so pretty and I only do it once a year’ so here it is, sparkling away in all its glory 😻

I’m glad I made the effort because I love Christmas decor. It’s just sometimes my relaxedness takes over and I want to make things very simple and easy for myself 😁

But this week ‘extra effort’ won out!

Sometimes it’s the little things that make you feel superhuman you know? 😅

(The red velvet stockings are for the doggies, Micky, Daphne and Chloe. Treats will go in them!

Nina cat doesn’t have one, I felt it was insulting to her to lump her in with the dogs 😂)

And yay for December Christmas vibes! I hope you have more oomph than I had with my tree 🫠 But it was all okay in the end!

 

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My Kindle sale is finishing on Monday, so now is your last chance to download a few new reads for the holiday season and up-to-60%-off prices.

Maybe you’ll inspire yourself with ‘A Chic and Simple Christmas’, make exciting plans and goals for 2026 with ‘100 Ways to Be a Chic Success and Create Your Dream Life’, or be slimmer and richer with ‘Luxurious Weight Loss’ and ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’.

Whatever the flavour of your reinvention (and even small changes can count, I love to reinvent myself from day to day with even tiny intentional thoughts), I hope you find some of my books to help. And on sale too!

Can I ask a favour? If you have a like-minded friend, please forward this post onto them so they can find a few sale books to inspire as well. Thank you in advance 😊

Happy weekend, and I hope you’re feeling festive and happy. And not too rushed! I can already feel the energy building and I have to keep reminding myself, it’s only the first week of December. Just breathe 😂

I’ll be making a Peppermint Bark Snack Cake from Mimi’s Organic Eats for a Christmas party on Monday.

I haven’t made it before but it looks delicious. I was searching for a peppermint bark cake recipe and this one looked yummy, and simple.

I can only buy the white chocolate just before making it otherwise it will disappear from the pantry 😂 And I can’t blame anyone other than myself!!

Wishing you a fab weekend and happy reading!

xx Fiona

PS. Kindle sale prices may vary in your country depending on currency and sales tax. The price of $3.99 is USD on Amazon.com

And if you would like an Amazon alternative, shop my eStore using the code HALFPRICEHAPPINESS for 50% off everything in my store. Also ends Monday.

 

 

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making]

Black Friday book sale on now!

 

Hello friends,

My once a year Black Friday sale is on now with all Kindle books priced at $3.99 USD (they vary in price according to length, but many of my Kindle books are $8-$9-$10 usually).

So if you’ve recently discovered me and want to stock up, or have a few gaps in your Fiona Ferris library, I hope you find something to inspire your 2026 plans.

My way of living is to have things be easy and fun, and any improvements I’d like to make be breezy and relaxed.

My style is thrifty elegance, soft glam, luxury living in a low-key down-home way, head-in-the-stars-feet-on-the-ground, and creating my life in exactly the way that suits my sensibility.

And you get to do the same!

It’s within the reach of all of us to live our life in a way that makes us the happiest - once we work out what that is of course. But that’s the fun stuff: asking ourselves what pleases US most, and what WE would like to do, wear, eat on a daily basis.

I have found it’s not the people-pleasing that makes others like us, it’s us living in an authentic and interesting way. Have you ever met someone self-possessed who makes their mark on you simply by the way they choose to live?

I have, and they are magnetic – and inspiring.

I’ve written 25+ books and counting, so I often get ladies ask me which title they should go for first. All of my books can be read standalone, so I say go with your intuition.

Choose the book that jumps out at you, or scan the sample and table of contents and see if it is the one you want to start with (or read next).

You can’t get it wrong 😊

Browse all my books are here on Amazon.

And if you’d rather shop my eStore for an Amazon alternative, use the code HALFPRICEHAPPINESS for 50% off anything including all of my eBooks and eAudiobooks.

I hope you find something fun, and thank you for being a happy reader. And please forward this on any friends who likes the same kind of things! 

 

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Lunching in style 🥗

 

Part of living my ‘luxurious life’ is dining outside as often as I can. Here on our patio I have a salad with our own avocados, and air-fried chicken thigh fillet strips coated in seasoning. So delicious!

And for my second course: pear and Greek yoghurt with coconut and sliced almonds.

Shoutout to my ladybasket which accompanies me wherever I am at home. In it are items I like to have to hand: the current book I’m reading, Kindle, iPad, reading glasses, a velvet scrunchie for when I want to put my hair up, lip balm, two journals and a few pens.

Yesterday I noticed it was getting a bit full so I tipped everything out and only kept in there what I was using.

I think I’ll have to do the same with my everyday handbag (it’s a slouchy tan leather Michael Kors bag that has held up well; I bought it in 2019).

It has curated contents but is getting rather heavy so I’ll do the same thing by emptying everything out on my bed and only putting back what I use regularly. My left shoulder will thank me!

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These are just a few of the ways in which I live a simple and luxurious life.

💫 Eating meals outside when weather permits

💫 Making myself delicious and healthy meals

💫 Taking time out to eat my lunch and read a book

💫 Collecting together favourite items in my ladybasket

💫 Cleaning out my handbag regularly

💫 Having gratitude for ‘the little things’ and everyday pleasures

💫 Making mealtimes a pause in my day 

 

 

 

 

For more tips, see my book ‘100 Ways to Live a Luxurious Life on a Budget’.

It’s on Kindle, in paperback, and as an audiobook (read by me!) too.

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Whatever you are up to today, I hope you get a chance to take a little time out and do something nice for yourself. 

 

 

 

I don’t have my big tree up yet, but have put my mini tree out, and a few other small items, as well as the Christmas wreath on our front door.

My sister gave me this cocktail ornament the other day - it’s so cute! A Cosmopolitan perhaps? And until the big tree is ready it’s hanging out by our tiny tree looking festive.

I’m loving all the YouTube videos showing shop windows and Christmas lights. I have a ‘Christmas Vibes playlist’ on YouTube that I save good ones to. They make lovely television wallpaper for doing things at home, and also when guests are around for a bit of background glitz.

This is my Christmas Vibes playlist here.

I like to mute the sound and play Christmas music like my Jazzy Lounge Christmas playlist on YouTube Music. And I put it on Shuffle to mix the songs up 😊

It’s so nice to ease into the festive season feeling don’t you think?

Happy start of the holiday season to you!

xx Fiona 

 

 

 

 

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Throwback Californian road trip, and living a simple, quiet life

 

Hi friends!

Just for fun, I thought I’d share a throwback 😊

This was me in California 1985 and it was on a fun family trip travelling around the state for three weeks in conjunction with my dad’s fruit packing machinery business. Travelling to the US was a huge deal for us coming from sleepy little New Zealand!

I got to celebrate my 15th birthday there and learned about the tradition of waitresses singing Happy Birthday to you at dinner... mortifying for a shy girl like myself.

It was a glorious time and I shopped for all the things you couldn’t get in New Zealand then like clear glittery nail polish, faux Ray Ban Wayfarers, and probably those clips holding my sleeves up.

I even snuck off and got my hair trimmed at a mall in San Fransisco triggering a panic from my dad that I’d been abducted.

We went to see Cats the musical and stayed the night at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles afterwards but most of the time it was more budget-friendly accommodation.

In this photo we were at a national park.

It was a magical trip that I still have happy memories of. Whenever I hear the song ‘We Built This City’ by Starship it takes me right back, since that song was all over the radio in October 1985 😍

 

 

 

And in the present day, lol, I’m enjoying our lovely spring weather with quiet time at home, journalling new ideas, and looking forward to our festive summertime. 

 

 

 

In case you need a giggle…

Paul always makes me one of my giant cups of tea for my writing time in the morning, and I said to him on this particular day that it didn’t have quite enough milk in it. I know, I’m a diva 🤭

Next thing I know he has delivered a five-star service milk jug on a plate on a paper napkin 😂

I thought that was so cute. We do have fun, and yes I am very lucky to get a tea delivery service before Paul leaves for the gym in the morning 🥰

I have him trained well don’t you think?

I hope you have a lovely weekend and get some downtime to relax a little. It’s especially important as the end of the year seems to ramp up towards the holiday season❤️

With all my love,
Fiona

 

 

PS. If you need some inspiring words, why not read a few pages of one of my books? Maybe you already own a few, or want to try something new. All my books are here on Amazon, and for a limited time The Autumn Reset is free to read on Kindle Unlimited. Please let your friends know too if you think they would enjoy my books!

All my other links (Amazon alternatives, audiobooks, interviews) are at fionaferris.com. 

 

 

 

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Mocktail ideas, and another author milestone

 

Hello friends,

For these warm spring days I’ve been experimenting with mocktails. This one was a ‘Mojito’ which I served with frozen lime quarters and fresh mint from the garden. It was good!

I think the alcohol-free mocktails have bitters in them which adds that alcoholic ‘bite’ without alcohol.

I always enjoy sitting down to relax before dinner, but (and perhaps I’ve trained myself), a glass of plain water, no frills, just doesn’t cut it.

So I’ve been trying different special drinks to have alcohol-free evenings. There is quite the selection these days, but none of them are cheap!

Sparkling water is still a good option, and it would be lovely served like I’ve served this Mojito.

Please tell me, do you have favourite alcohol-free drinks to relax with at the end of the day? I’ve love some new ones to put on my ‘menu’.

 

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 Another milestone to share 😍

There are now 120,000 of my books floating around in the world - either on Kindles or as paperbacks, on home bookshelves or in public libraries - hopefully providing lots of inspiration!

And this number doesn’t include my audiobooks, which are a ‘new’ thing for me in the past couple of years. (I love reading my books for you 🥰)

I’m just so grateful that I get to share what lights me up with you, my reader. I’ve always had a rich imagination, and the need to make everyday life a little more feminine and lovely.

I feel like so much of life can be drudgery if we let it, and equally the opposite can be so.

I know I’m lucky, I totally get it. I don’t have to go to a job anymore, and haven’t since 2016 when we sold our retail business.

But honestly, it’s all come from what I write about in my books - both the ‘creating a rose-tinted mindset’ aspect, as well being financially savvy.

It is possible to live a very good life without spending a lot of money. And the less you spend (by only buying things that have value for you), the less stress there is to earn more.

I love having my no-spend days, using what I have, aiming for a minimalist way of living in my own style, and appreciating how lucky I am every single day.

I know I am just a minnow in the author world where authors sell millions and even billions of copies of their books. But I am very happy to be so 😊 I’m just doing my own little thing over here, and whoever wants to join me can join me. We have the best fun!

So if you’ve ever bought one of my books or asked your library to order them in, THANK YOU. I appreciate you!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find my book ‘100 Ways to enjoy Self-Care for Gentle Wellbeing and a Healthy Body Image here on Amazon, or go to fionaferris.com for reading/listening alternatives, and of course all my other 25+ titles.

 

 

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

An adorable new puppy! Plus cafe breakfast vibes, and my radio interview replay

 

 Hello friends!

We visited our neighbour to meet his new puppy the other day. Luca is a labradoodle and his fur is so soft as you can see. Sooooo soft.

Paul and I walked up to visit, but Micky dog saw us and ran to catch up. We didn’t know if Luca would appreciate another dog so soon, but it was all fine. It was probably the other way around, that Luca overwhelmed Micky!

You can see in the photo below that they had a good run around, and Luca who is only 3-4 months old is the same size as 13-year-old Micky. Soon he will tower over him.

 

 

Micky is on the left and Luca is on the right. They are so similar haha

 

Luca has already grown a lot since I’d met him only a few weeks prior and I’m sure when I see him again soon he will be even bigger.

 

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Reader Karen from Jane Austen country - Bath in the UK - sent me this pretty photo of her cafe breakfast on her 55th birthday. (She said it was okay me for me to share it). Her birthday was one day before mine, and we were born in the same year. My English almost-twin!

I can almost taste that croissant it looks so good. I love the candle touch on the table, and Karen said there was cafe piano jazz playing in the background as well. Sounds like a lovely ambience for a birthday breakfast.

I loved seeing my newest book The Autumn Reset on her table too. This really is the biggest thrill for an author to see that someone else is reading their book, in their real life! I hope you enjoyed it Karen 😊 and happy October birthday.

  

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And excitingly, my most recent interview is now out on replay. I was a guest on ‘Happy Hour with Jonna & Keryl on K104.7 FM’ in the Hudson Valley, New York.

You can listen to my interview here.

I’m mentioned at the beginning, and my interview begins at 18:30 minutes. The two presenters Jonna and Keryl, along with their producer Frankenberry are such a fun team, and I had a great time with them.

You can see all their other shows here (scroll down to ‘Happy Hour’).

I recognised authors names I enjoy so have downloaded those episodes to listen to 😊

I hope you have fun listening to my interview, and that you have a great rest of the week!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my links including books, audiobooks, interviews, plus all my social media at fionaferris.com 

 

 

 [My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Happy doggies, and a delicious quiche for lunch (recipe included)

Chloe and Daphne are all buckled in and ready for their walk ❤️❤️

 

Hello chic friends! 

 

My doggies physical ‘beauty’ always makes me laugh 🤭 I mean, look at those faces... Sometimes when we’re out, people will look at them and say, ‘What are they?’ in an incredulous way.

I have a soft spot for non-fluffy plain dogs now, from having these two in my life.

They said they don’t care what anyone thinks, they’re just having fun, living the dream, and as long as food rolls up twice a day and they get to hang out with their mum, they’re happy as.

Micky dog was getting leashed up too, out of photo shot. I just thought it was so cute how Chloe and Daphne were waiting patiently at the front door for their walk.

Give your doggies a hug from me today! 

 

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Lunch in the sunshine 🌞

 

I was lunching like a queen here wasn’t I!

I enjoyed homemade quiche with mushrooms and asparagus from Chantal’s recipe under her baby shower video description here (I used gluten free pastry for moi):

 

 

 

This is her quiche recipe:

— ingredients

puff pastry

500 g mushrooms

100g bacon (optional)

sundried tomato (optional)

1 bunch basil

150g creme fraiche (or greek yogurt/ sour cream)

4 eggs

200ml milk

50g shredded parmesan

pinch of nutmeg

— steps

1. preheat oven to 390F

2. defrost the puff pastry and cover the bottom of a quiche dish with it

3. fry the mushrooms with bacon in a pan until all moisture is gone, then add the sundried tomato. salt and pepper to taste

4. add fried mushrooms on top of puff pastry in quiche diche

5. in a separate bowl, mix the creme fraiche, eggs, milk, shredded parmesan and nutmeg. add in shredded basil

6. pour on top of mushroom mix in quiche dish

7. bake at 200C (~390F) for ca. 40-45 mins (depending on your oven)

8. serve and enjoy! 

 

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Thanks Chantal for sharing!

I served mine with rocket (arugula), and a side salad too. And fruit, Greek yoghurt, and almonds and coconut for ‘pudding’.

I love my lunches and feel so good from all the freshness.

Gosh that quiche was nice, I’ll have to make another one 😊

And the book was good too, I’ve finished it now. It was ‘The Honeymoon Affair’ by Sheila O’Flanagan. I also read ‘Her Husband’s Mistake’ (below) by the same author and that was great as well. (Better than ‘The Honeymoon Affair’ which had a satisfying ending but could have been a touch better I feel, just expanded upon.)

 

 

 

In my personal star rating system I gave ‘The Honeymoon Affair’ 4.5 out of 5 and ‘Her Husband’s Mistake’ 5.5 out of 5! That only happens for really good books 🤣

You can see Sheila’s books here on Amazon.

Let me know what you’ve been reading lately, and your favourite ‘happy healthy’ lunches too 😊

Have a great week!

xx Fiona

 

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Latest book out now (here on Amazon):

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Happy birthday to us, and to all my Libran readers too!

 

Paul and I share a birthday, and as our gift, my mum shouted us to lunch at our favourite winery restaurant.

It was so lovely, a real treat.

 

 

It’s not every day you get to be served a beautiful three-course meal with delectable wines and a petite birthday cake at the end.

We took the cake home because we knew we would appreciate it more later on, and we did!

 

 

I always like the idea of your birthday being your own personal new year, and that’s what it feels like for me.

 

 

 

Happy birthday to all my fellow Librans too 😊

 

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🌸🌞🌸

Pink blossom and a sunny spring sky on my morning walk

 

After immersing myself in autumn to finish up my newest book ‘The Autumn Reset’ it’s so nice to come back to our spring season here in Hawke’s Bay.

It’s such a nice time to be in just after a book release. That happy satisfaction of a project completed, and the knowledge that copies are being read all around the world. I really do not take it for granted how lucky I have to have THE nicest readers who enjoy the same things I do.

And now I get to dream up my next book! That is very exciting to me. I have other books already on the go so I shall go and visit each one for a browse; see what takes my fancy 😊

I wonder what will come next? It’s always a surprise for me too!

 

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And finally, in exciting news I was interviewed this morning for the radio show K104.7 FM in the Hudson Valley, New York and it was amazing.

The presenters Jonna and Keryl were lovely, and their producer Frankenberry was as well. Sounds like they have a lot of fun on their show!

You can listen to it 7am ET this Sunday morning October 26.

And the recording will be available as a podcast a few days later; you can find it here (scroll down to the ‘Happy Hour’ show):

We talked a little bit a about ‘The Autumn Reset’ and had a good general chitchat about living life well. I’m so excited to be ‘on the radio’! And thank you for a fabulous opportunity, Happy Hour team 😊

(Here’s a link to ‘The Autumn Reset’ on Amazon if you haven’t read it yet 🍂)

Happy listening, and happy reading :)

xx Fiona

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]