The ups and downs of life, and how to feel better

 

Hello friends,

Last week was a funny week, up and down, and it was all to do with my lymphedema. I don’t feel like it’s getting better, and things just felt on top of me and overwhelming. Hence, I haven’t been in touch. I’ve just been doing home stuff and not much that’s creative.

I’ve been feeling really down about it but I know low moods pass. They’re like clouds in the sky. At that moment it felt really cloudy and just too heavy for me.

I did a few admin tasks with my healthcare providers, and decided that had to be enough.

I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, except to say that life isn’t always sunny, even though we’ve had beautiful sunny winter days here lately. I enjoyed my outdoor walks each day, so I guess all I can do is look for the good things.

❤️ A sunny walk after a frosty start.

❤️ A good swimming session .

❤️ Reading (and please don’t laugh!) Sweet Valley High books. I bought a vintage retro lot on Trade Me (New Zealand’s version of eBay), and I’m revisiting my early teens. It’s very comforting right now. They were my favourite books back in the early to mid-1980s. I couldn’t love the pastel covers more. And my sister found me the first 12 books of Sweet Valley Twins at a thrift store. Such fun!

 

Reading makes me happy :)

So things are what they are. Life isn’t always wonderful. But I know the clouds will move on. Apart from the lymphedema, I’m otherwise healthy, and I have so many other good things to be grateful for too.

I had a lovely weekend. The coffee ladies came to my place on Saturday. I had the fire going, and made a ‘Devils Food’ chocolate cake before they arrived. It was a Betty Crocker mix, but I used butter and milk instead of oil and water, along with the eggs.

Being around other people was just the tonic to help me forget about things for a few hours and just be a normal person again, instead of getting too much in my head, overthinking everything, and letting it all press down on me.

Yay for that :)

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{Winter vines in our street}

A big help to me feeling better is to focus on my mindset.

There are days when I feel really good and have a happy day. And then there are days when it all gets too much and I feel weighed down. Nothing has changed between those two days except my thoughts.

I don’t know if my lymphedema will be permanent. No one knows, not even my surgeon or breast cancer physiotherapist. It’s an unknown thing.

So why am I getting myself down by telling myself that it will be?

In the beginning, I told myself it was only temporary and that things would work out. It felt much better to say that to myself than, ‘I’m going to be stuck like this forever. It’s going to get worse.’

Yes, there is a chance it could be permanent, but there’s also a chance it could resolve.

One friend wore her compression sleeve for two years, fifteen years ago. She told me her arm is still a little larger than the other, but it’s not something she thinks about day-to-day. She doesn’t wear compression anymore and it’s not an issue.

Things like that give me hope. And why shouldn’t that be me too?

So the clouds have passed in my mind. There are still a few around, but I’m not looking at them. I’m looking at the blue sky.

I’m telling myself positive statements too, which helps me take positive action. It’s all heading towards feeling empowered, rather than feeling helpless.

Wow, that positive mindset stuff really works, Fiona. Who knew!

That’s why I love mindset work so much, and why it’s woven throughout every single one of my books. It really does allow you to create a good life and feel better when you’re going through the hard times.

And we all have hard times.

My dad’s eight-year anniversary of passing is today. We all had lockdown in 2020. In 2023, our area was hit by a cyclone and flooding, and people died. And 2026 is my cancer recovery year.

There’s been a lot of big things to take action on, and I can stay in a helpful mindset.

So I’m here today to say I’m feeling better.

And if you need this post, I hope it’s helpful for you.

All my love,

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 [My book links lead to Amazon US and they are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission, but the price doesn’t change for you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links if you are purchasing anything!]

Happy Matariki, and winter glam

 

Hello friends,

Here I am at a glam lunch out recently 😍

My new pleather pants are so cosy for winter.

These are the ones I bought on my radiation week trip from a store called Blue Illusion.

It’s an Australian store I believe, but so chic and French-style.

They’re the kind of place that doesn’t just have clothes, they have jewellery, shoes, scarves, soaps, books - all the lovely stuff.

It’s probably just as well there isn’t an outlet in Hawke’s Bay or I’d be there too often 🤣

It’s chilly and cosy here at the moment, and we saw family for Matariki (Maori New Year) lunch on Friday.

According to Wiki:

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, whose mid-winter reappearance in the early morning sky marks the Māori New Year. It is a nationwide time of remembrance, celebration, and planning for the future, marked by a public holiday.

How appropriate that I’ve just read the second Seven Sisters book (The Storm Sister), as the sisters are named for each of the Pleiades stars. As mentioned in a previous newletter, it was a glorious book, so rich and intricate. I am in awe of a brain that can come up with such an exquisite story.

Happy Matariki to you! 😊 

 

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Winter vines in our street on my walk 🍇

I’ve been told these are Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand’s most popular wine.

I’d probably choose most wines over this varietal but the vista is pretty 😁

And in writing news I am making notes for a new book.

I hope you are enjoying just-released Life Is Good and having a giggle at some of the stories! 

 

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I never dreamed I’d be able to say I was a ‘number 1 bestseller in breast cancer’, but here I am.

The last category I thought I’d ever find myself in!

Life has its twists and turns 😅

Also, the paperback is now available, for my paper-loving ladies 😘

Here’s the link for Life Is Good on Amazon US, and it should be available at your local Amazon too.

I am doing some background work to have the paperback be available through bookstores and libraries too, although I think you already can ask your library to order it in.

I’d love to be in more libraries!

Wishing you a lovely day.

It’s so cold here, but gorgeous. Blue skies and frosty.

Keep cool or keep warm wherever you may be 💛💛

xx Fiona

 

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small gratuity if you click through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you if you choose to use my links :)

New book out now - Yes, Life Is Good :)

 

Hello friends,

I am thrilled to announce the premiere of my latest book ‘Life Is Good’ 🌺

If you’ve been in my world lately, you’ll know that I’ve been through some stuff. Breast cancer specifically. And I ended up writing a book about it!

Please listen:

I promise you will really, really enjoy this book, even though it’s about cancer.

It’s not dry or a medical textbook (which is just as well since I’m not a doctor). What it is, is an honest, uplifting, and funny account of what it’s really like to go through breast cancer treatment.

There were many crazy moments and I’m sharing them all with you (even the ones that I wondered whether to or not… you’ll see 🤣)

Kindle is available right now, and the paperback in a few days (just keep an eye out for it at the same link).

For an Amazon alternative, you can order the eBook from my eStore too.

All my links are at fionaferris.com.

I’m now getting cracking on the audiobook. Just gotta limber up those vocal chords, it’s been a while since I have recorded one.

I hope you really enjoy this book, I’m actually quite proud of it 😊

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And I’ve been keeping things cosy here while many of you are sweltering. This morning was a sub-zero frost and it’s still only 4 degrees (39F) nearing 9am.

Micky dog is still in bed under his blanket. He’s definitely slowed down in the past few months now that he is 14, but I’ve never known him to sleep in so long. I did check he was still breathing! 

 

 

To make a little fun for myself I’ve been indulging in Christmas in July, along with a dash of self-care. I’ve been leaning on my self-care practices even more at the moment. In no particular order, here are my current favourites 😊

❤️ Reading books. I just finished ‘Dandelion is Dead’, by Rosie Storey: 4.5/5 for me. Loved the story, and the British sense of humour. There were a few too many back and forths before the ending so not a 5/5 but still a solid ‘would recommend’.

❤️ Sipping my morning latte. (always in a Starbucks cup!) I make a stronger brewed pot of filter coffee and then use it like cold brew – half a cup of coffee and half a cup of whole milk, heated in the microwave. It’s my version of the ‘no foam, extra hot’ latte I used to order at Starbucks ✨

❤️ Going for a walk. Always with an audiobook or podcast. I’m 3/4 through Emma Grede’s ‘Start With Yourself’ and am thoroughly enjoying it. And before that, ‘The Storm Sister’, the second Seven Sisters book was incredible. They are such involved, high-quality stories (almost 20 hours long on audiobook!) that it boggles my mind how someone can write such amazingness. We do have a treadmill but I prefer walking outside with the fresh air and soothing colours of nature.

❤️ Feeling cozy. It’s nice to rug up in the winter with fluffy socks and a warm jumper, but I like feeling cozy in the summer equally. It’s all about the softness of fabric. Washed cotton tee-shirts, soft linen, fine satin loungewear pants. And feeling clean too: just-washed hair, moisturised skin and a pretty body mist.

❤️ Being my own cheerleader. I’ve felt down during my recuperation more so than usual, so I’ve been calling upon my inner cheerleader regularly. She reminds me that life is still good, I’ve already come so far, most complications are only temporary, and oh, let’s go and do something fun.

Let me know your favourite, and please share your favourite self-care practice right now 😊

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Wishing you a wonderful weekend whatever you’re doing. And Happy 4^th of July to my American friends!

And I’d also like to say, thank you for being there with me. Even though I haven’t been online as much, I’ve felt the care and the love. It means a lot.

xx Fiona

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, but it makes no different to the cost. I do appreciate it if you choose to use my links, as always ❤️

 

The writer returns - I'm feeling more like myself, yay!

 

Hey friends,

Join me for a cozy winter outing with the doggies! I mean, how cute is Chloe in her puffer jacket? And Daphne in her hot pink fleece?

Chloe loves standing up at the window, watching the world go by.

And Micky is just out of the frame and very much NOT a jacket guy. When I tried to put one on him on a freezing day he sat on the lawn and refused to go for a walk until I removed it. Okay then!

And as for me, I'm feeling better. Hoorah! I actually feel like I'm coming out of the tunnel. It was a longer tunnel than I'd anticipated, and had lots of dog legs and side tunnels lol, but I made it.

Since we were last in touch I've been WRITING too. So exciting. My mojo is back 😍 Of course I may still experience tiredness and lack of inspiration in the future, but for now I'm revelling in being back into the world of words. I truly couldn't be happier.

And that means I'll have a book completed soon. It is finished, but I'm just doing all the editing, which always takes longer than I'd like but I want it to be good so I curb my impatience.

At the beginning of the year, just after my surgery, I started writing down my experience. It was one long document with no chapters, and I just kept adding to it. I realised, reading back to it, that it’s really funny.

I know ‘funny’ isn’t a word you’d normally use to describe a cancer memoir, but it is, along with uplifting, and giving you, the reader, a front row seat to what it’s really like to deal with a cancer diagnosis.

I like to think it takes away some of the scary mystery, because it is petrifying to think about what you’d do if you were ever told you had cancer.

I hope you’re well, and thank you for your continued messages, emails and comments. I have not responded to many at all, virtually zero, because it feels like ‘a lot’, but I truly, truly appreciate them, and read every word.

And I have taken on your advice, even down to what books to read (I just finished Yesteryear, what a crazy ride that was!!)

Big hugs to you, and I’ll see you soon, maybe with a new book!

Fiona x

Yesteryear is here on Amazon at my affiliate link if you want to join the fun.

Focusing on the positive

 

Dear friends,

I’ve been so down in the dumps and fed up with my ongoing lymphedema and post-radiation complications, that I posted an update on Instagram three weeks ago and completely forgot to copy it over to Substack and this blog (I post the same on both).

You can read my missing post here on Instagram to catch up, but otherwise here I am today, out for a walk in the sunshine. It’s well into autumn now in New Zealand but it’s warm enough, especially on a sunny day with wind from the right direction (i.e. not the south pole), that I took my long sleeve top off and walked in a tank top on this particular day.

It’s nice to get some vitamin D on at least one of my arms, since my other arm still has a compression sleeve on!

With my medication being changed from Letrozole to Tamoxifen due to my bones not being good enough to deal with Letrozole, I’ve had to start the whole ‘it takes a few months to get used to the changes’ all over again, and I really have felt so hormonal on Tamoxifen.

Overwhelmed and fed up, crying on Paul’s shoulder, being a bit of a biyatch to those closest to me… it’s all been a lot of fun let me tell you.

So instead of all that, let’s look at the other side of the coin, the bright side. What are all the good things I’ve enjoyed lately? Shall we focus on those while I wait for my lymphatic system to (hopefully) repair itself?

🫶 Paul and I went to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 last week, a mere one day after it was released. I enjoyed it but nothing replaces the original. Definitely worth watching and rewatching though. Milan was so gorgeous and the sumptuousness of the whole movie was gorgeous.

🫶 We got gluten-free fish and chips and ate them at the beach. I felt bad that the last time we’d been to the lovely fish and chip shop with the nicest owners was two years ago but you don’t want fish and chips too often, do you?

🫶 I am on book 3 of the Hideaway Bay trilogy that is so cozy, wholesome, gentle and lovely that I don’t want it to end. I’m listening to the audiobooks and they are beautifully narrated. Would recommend! (I bought them with Audible credits previously but I see now all three are in the Audible Plus catalogue so you can listen to them without using any credits).

Book 1 is The Secret Keeper, below, book 2 is The Game Changer, and book 3 which I only have 2.5 hours left on (so sad!) is called The Rule Breaker. These three books are already contenders to add to my favourite re-reads list. I’d love to get the paperbacks too or maybe just listen to the audiobooks again :)

 

I listened to the same author’s Blackbird Beach series a few years back and that’s still on Audible Plus too. I loved that series, but I love this current series more. It’s just so comforting to read. Her storylines draw you in and you want to see what happens next. I love happy books, and these also have a light sprinkle of mystery and suspense too. But they’re mostly calm and meandering :)

🫶 I’ve been enjoying my daily walks and weekly yoga, and getting into strength training too. Just at home, with squats and lunges, and some light arm work. Plus doing little things on my rebounder (one of those mini trampolines) which is good for my lymphatic system.

🫶 It’s cool enough to light our woodburner and we are having lovely fires each night. The doggies enjoy it so much and take turns sunbathing before they have to move away after getting too warm!

So that’s about all I’ve been up to: walking, reading, relaxing, and keeping day-to-day life sorted.

I went to a lovely Mother’s Day afternoon tea with my sister hosted at my mum’s yesterday, with aunties and cousins and close friends. It was a sociable way to spend a few hours.

I hope you’re well too, big hugs :)

x 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!] 

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!]

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!]