Paula Chaffee Scardamalia: Dreaming Stories Into Reality by Kashish for Pub-Craft

For Paula Chaffee Scardamalia, inspiration doesn’t wait for a perfect schedule. It arrives in dreams, in tarot cards, in stories whispered by myth and memory.

“My first novel came from two dreams I had,” she shares, and that blend of inner reflection and intuitive creativity continues to shape everything she writes from fiction and nonfiction books to watercolor oracle cards still waiting in the wings. 

A published author, editor, creativity coach, and professional weaver, Paula’s path hasn’t followed a single thread. Instead, her life and career have been a tapestry of passions:

“I was never going to be someone who focused all her energy on just one creative outlet. Weaving all these different interests together is what makes me different from other authors.” 

That truth became clear when her husband, ever supportive, simply told her to “just write the damn book.” 

Staying creatively inspired comes easily to Paula. “I read a lot, watch TV and movies, listen to music and people’s conversations,” she says. But discipline is a different story, especially without external deadlines. So she leans into the rhythms of her inner world: dreams, journaling, tarot, and the themes that have shaped her life.

The loss of her mother when she was still a young mother herself shows up in her writing through themes of death, grief, and healing. Just as meaningful are the close bonds she’s formed with her aunts and female friends, relationships that naturally find their way into her storytelling. 

Romance is often present in Paula’s books, but so is something deeper: archetypes, fairy tales, and mythology. These elements are more than stylistic flourishes; they’re part of how Paula understands the world and her place in it. Whether writing nonfiction like Tarot for the Fiction Writer or crafting fiction shaped by myth and magic, she uses ancient symbols to guide her characters and her readers through transformation. 

Marketing hasn’t always come naturally. Paula credits much of her outreach success to teaching and speaking. “It’s the one-on-one connection that makes a difference.” Whether she’s hosting intimate retreats or leading workshops for writers, these experiences aren’t just about sales, they’re about connection. And connection is a theme that carries through every part of her creative journey. 

At the moment, she’s working on a tarot cozy mystery and the next book in her Muses and Sirens series, the first of which is due in February. She also dreams of creating an oracle deck based on myth and fairy tale, using her own watercolor art. Another project in the works is a women writers’ retreat she’s planning with a friend, another chance to create space for shared creativity. 

Looking back, Paula offers grounded advice for writers and creatives:

“Everyone is creative. But if you choose to do it professionally, it takes lots of learning, practicing, failing, and persistence.” 

Her journey has included an MFA, years of publishing both fiction and nonfiction, editing for small presses, and running a newsletter since 2009. That steady effort has built a life she loves; one woven with intention, curiosity, and care. 

For writers exploring multiple genres, she encourages curiosity and research: “Read in them. See what’s being published. Understand the questions and themes being explored.” It’s not just about writing across genres but about respecting them. 

When asked what’s helped her grow most as an author, Paula doesn’t hesitate: community. “I didn’t come to this point without the help and guidance of others.”  Organizations like the International Women’s Writing Guild, Romance Writers of America, Savvy Authors, and Liberty State Fiction Writers gave her support, knowledge, and a place to belong.

“We write alone,” she says, “but being able to share our words requires a community, of readers and of writers.” 

Paula’s Positioning Statement from The Visible Author Method Group Coaching 

Program:

Whether my books are romance, mystery, fantasy or nonfiction, they are grounded in the mythical and mystical. Like the best fairy godmother, I love creating moments of magic and transformation for my readers, and helping other writers connect to and experience the power of their words to change worlds.