Too many pets? And a busy time :)

 

 

Hello chic friends,
 

It's a beautiful day to feel good! Things are so hectic around here at the moment. We are having some outdoor work done, and my mum is packing to move within a few weeks.

But that's okay, it will all get done, and in the meantime I am keeping to my routines as much as possible. Yesterday I cleaned up around the house and did some vacuuming and cleaning and it feels so good here now.

I've also been enjoying my latest read from the library - Her Darling Daughter, a psychological thriller. (here on Amazon). It is so compelling I've read half the book in only a few days which is fast for me!

And I've also been working on my next book. I was writing it at the same time as my most recently released book so it's 2/3 written. I would love to have it out before Christmas. Wouldn't that be nice! And it will happen :)

If you haven’t already seen, I have a big book sale going on – both Kindle and paperback copies are highly discounted. I only do this once a year so please do make the most of it if you want to! Stock your library up for the holiday season.

 

And if you think a friend would enjoy my books, why not buy her a paperback for Christmas?

 

You can find my book sale on Amazon here. I hope you have fun and happy reading!

 

 

So... this is what it looks like to have five pets... thankfully only the cats sleep on our bed overnight, but in the morning with my cup of tea it is a free for all.

Really, it's quite ridiculous. So how did I end up with so many extra bodies in my life? Well it started with one cat, then two. Then when we moved here and I could work from home, we adopted two little brown dogs from the SPCA. Then my brother moved overseas a few months back and his dog came to live with us.

It happens by degrees, people!

But that's okay. I love them all to bits and they are well looked after. I look like the crazy lady when I take the three dogs in my car and all the windows are down. They mostly stay at home though, especially in the summer.

How many pets do you have? And how many is too many? Asking for a friend :)

See you next week. And to my USA friends, I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving!

xx Fiona

(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

Once-a-year Book Sale Now On!

 

 

I am excited to announce that it’s time for my big once-a-year book sale!

Y A Y!

Now is the time to stock your library shelves, whether it’s on your Kindle or proper book shelf at home, because all my books except my latest one, are $3.99 or less on Kindle. Were up to $9.99!

And print books are steeply discounted too – ranging from $8.99 to $12.99 (were up to $19.99).

(These are all US dollars on amazon.com, and you will also find prices reduced on your local Amazon in your currency).

The paperbacks make great Christmas gifts for anyone you might know who might enjoy my books too :)

I only do this once a year, so I hope you make the most of it!

Happy shopping and happy reading and thanks for being the awesome you that you are :)

You can find all my titles on Amazon here.




Lots of love!
Fiona

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(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

Getting ready for Christmas in the springtime

 

Doesn't my book ‘A Chic and Simple Christmas’ look fab on the front counter at Interior Warehouse in Napier? This, and all my other titles are available to purchase from Interior Warehouse, or on Amazon if you can’t make it to Napier!

It's been such a busy time. I am helping my mum pack to move before Christmas, but I do like to put my tree up early so I get the most enjoyment out of it. I haven’t yet but I hope to soon. I can see it's going to be a very full November and December but it still feels nice to anticipate the holiday feeling as much as possible. I've been using my Christmas Starbucks mugs and playing Christmas music already, and reading festive novels too.

When do you like to start making things Christmassy around the place?  

 

 

And this is what spring skies look like here in Hawke’s Bay. It's the view from our front lawn. This was 8 o'clock at night. Isn't it magical? And I'm always intrigued by clouds and weather. Mother Nature really is spectacular.

I hope you are doing great and taking care of yourself :) Have a wonderful rest of your week and a lovely weekend!

xx Fiona

 

 

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(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

Our 'new' house :)

 

Do you remember a while back I mentioned that we were going to have our home painted? Well, it’s finished! 

 

 It feels like we are living in a new home :)

 

 

 

You can see the difference from the lighter colour it used to be in these photos.

Our house really is living The Glam Life now! 

 

 

And if you haven't already seen it, I released my newest book last week - ‘100 Ways to Live a European Inspired Life’.

 

 

 

I always enjoy the week after releasing a new title. It is a time of extra space, and a sort of vacuum because the book has been 'signed off'. It is like that with any project I'm sure you will agree. There is a fantastic feeling you get when something is completed in its entirety, with any extra loose ends all tied up neatly.

I always tell myself that I will take the time in between books to get my house 'perfectly' in order and all my financial admin up to date, but the truth is I just want to dive into the next book!

And I do already have a book 2/3 written, another 100 Ways book, so I will focus on that and get it finished too. I do this, work on more than one book at once as the ideas come along. It's no use trying to do otherwise. I just go with the flow!
 

 

 

And finally, for our wrap up this week, pretty roses from our garden.

 

 

 

 

It's been a warm and sunny week... up until today. And I've had nothing to do except what I want to do - write, drop my library books off, walk the dogs in the sunshine. It's my favourite kind of day when you get to make your own plans. The bliss of it!

I'm sending happy thoughts to you :)

xx Fiona

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(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

Getting ready for the holidays

Dinner out on a recent Wellington trip :)  - Dillingers restaurant

 

I am so excited for the upcoming holiday season! I don't need any excuse to play Christmas music. Not actual carols, but Christmassy background music on YouTube with the bells in the background :)

Just search for 'Christmas BGM' (which stands for 'background music') on YouTube and find something you like.

And I am enjoying the new Fern Michaels book called 'Falling Stars'. It's described as a 'fun and festive holiday story' but it's not that Christmassy even though I am 2/3 through. It's still good though! I love the premise of an everyday person meeting up with a movie star - just like on Notting Hill :) (here on Amazon)

Plus, I've been using my Starbucks Christmas mugs for my coffee. I have two and I love them. I'm waiting for this years mugs to be released to see if I like them enough to get one for my collection!

It's just fun to start adding little twinkly sparkly Christmassy details in.

Of course, if you haven't read my book 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' I hope you will check it out! It's here on Amazon.

 

I think that's about all the Christmassy touches I've been including so far. And it's November now! So fun :)

 

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I went to visit my mother recently, and her 15 year old dog Milly happened to be down the driveway by the garage, which is under the house. She had popped down for a potter.

My mum was up in the house, so to keep Milly safe while I turned to park, I called her into the car. Funny little dog hopped into the driver's footwell rather than the back door which I had opened for her.
 

 

So we had this two minute shuffle of parking the car with a dog by my feet 😂😂😂

Of course I wouldn't drive down the road with a dog by the pedals but it was okay to turn my car around in the driveway.

How cute is Milly! ❤️🥰 She is very sweet natured and always so excited to see someone visit, and always has the happiest smile on her face.

She sleeps in a bed on the floor by my mother's bed and has a pink rug put over her at night. My mum finds it way down the hall in the morning sometimes 😊

She doesn't mind her cousins, but they are sometimes too energetic for her, and she has been mugged of her dog treat by Chloe more than once too.

Chloe scoffs hers down fast and then literally takes Milly's from her mouth, since Milly eats in a more leisurely fashion. How rude is that in her own house!

My mum adopted Milly as an 11 year old when her previous owner died. It was a neighbour of a friend situation.

She is a dog of joie de vivre in her new life, and has lasted longer than any of us gave her credit for. What a trooper! And a cute one at that!

 

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 And my newest book, just out this week! I hope you enjoy it!

 

 

xx Fiona

 

(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

New book out now!

 

Dear chic friends,

Look what's new!

I am thrilled to share with you that my latest book has just been released.

'100 Ways to Live a European Inspired Life' is all about letting your daydreams get away on you. Be inspired by your idealistic inner French girl, inner Italian girl or inner (insert your dream country here) girl. Let her lead the way when it comes to happiness, chic outfits and living well.

You can find it both on Kindle and in paperback at Amazon here.

And if you'd like an Amazon alternative, the eBook is available from my eStore here.

I so enjoyed writing this book; I really hope you love reading it. Let me know what you think!

xx Fiona

(If you use my Amazon link I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

'OTT Chic', photobombing dogs and it's my birthday!

Hello chic friends!

 

We went to a friend's 50th birthday on the weekend and I loved my outfit! I was feeling an Italian Chic/OTT vibe :)

And the weather turned it on too. After months and months of rain and grey skies we had beautiful spring weather. Hoorah for that!

 

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And then the other night I thought my after-dinner decaf with cream looked so pretty next to the candle that I took a photo.

I was trying to get a good picture (to portrait or not to portrait?) before my coffee got cold, and my husband Paul said 'here, let me take it'.

My photo

You can see his version in this second picture 😂😂😂 Daphne with her eyes trained on me hoping for a duck tender dog treat...

 

Paul's photo

And yes, thankfully my coffee was still hot, and it was delicious. And the biscuit just hit the spot too - gluten-free Arnotts scotch finger! It tastes so shortbready. Yum.

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I was tidying up the photo folders on my computer and came across this early days photo of my writing desk, at our old house in Auckland.

Everything I am using is still the same, except the desk is now my sewing desk. I bought a new writing desk a few years ago.

I am even still drinking out of the same giant mug! My husband Paul bought it for me as my morning writing tea mug because otherwise he would have to make me two cups before he left for work :)

I still love writing my books just as much as I did when I was getting started. Back in those days I would write around my full-time job, but these days I have the luxury of being a stay-at-home happy housewife and pet mum as well as writing my books.

I am beyond grateful that I get to have this lifestyle, and am especially thankful to you, my reader, who trusts me with your money and buys my books.

For my part, I commit to keep on writing and do more of the stuff you enjoy. It really is my happy place, spinning inspiration and excitement onto the pages. The more I write, the more there is to write; that's the secret about where my inspiration comes from. And giving myself a challenge. With my '100 Ways' books, it's fun to keep on going up to one hundred tips.

I have another '100 Ways' book out very soon; do you like this format? Don't worry, I'll mix them up with my other more traditional chapter books too, but there is just something so fun about a big, juicy list, don't you think?

And, it was my birthday on Friday! Happy birthday to me! Another free trip around the sun and now I am 52. Just like that. Time goes so fast, so I am here to remind myself to be present and let it sink in. It makes all the difference.

When I dwell in the past or dream too much of the future (which is fun, just not meant to be a full-time pastime), I miss out on what's happening right now.

I've actually been much better at bringing my mind back to the present lately and it makes a huge difference to how much I enjoy even the little things, my sense of peace and happiness, and relaxation of the nervous system too.

Lots of love to you. Be happy, follow your dreams, and love your life :)

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 

(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)