June 2020: A Note from Hope — At the risk of sounding flip about the intense and terrible impact of the coronavirus pandemic, here at the Inkandescent™ Group our goal is to seek relief from the uncertainty that is before us. So we turn to two of our old friends from Washington, DC — travel writers Eileen Curtis and Pat Williams — for a bit of a reprieve.

The authors agree, “If you are going to catch any kind of bug, we hope it’s the travel bug,” and invite you to check out their new new book, Roam: Mindful Adventures Across the Globe.

“Eileen and I fill the gaps for each other when we travel. We research each destination assiduously and utilize all our global contacts to arrange behind-the-scenes experiences,” explains Pat, who in 1995 founded Northern Virginia’s first and still unique home companion agency, naming it GraceFul Care in honor of her mother, Grace.

“We laugh frequently, and both love to experience local music and dance, art, religion, and culture. Eileen is a professional musician and a student of history. I plan the physical adventure, and I’m the one who is out on the limb with new age spirituality.”

In addition to different levels of expertise, the duo’s previous books showcased two different writing styles. “We eventually figured out how to blend into one book,” adds Eileen, whose published writings include the cover story for Mid-Atlantic’s Christmas in Washington, as well as a shared centerfold with Andy Rooney on Diversions’ Traveling with Children, and Chamber Tales, which has found an international audience.

Pat adds: “We both love words, but Eileen loves them more and writes more poetically. As a former travel agency owner, I am used to journaling trips, so I combine useful details for the traveler, coupled with the experiences each trip generates in my gut and in my heart.”

Click here for a taste of their latest escapade on Googlebooks.

Want to have even more fun? Join Pat and Eileen for a Virtual Travel Party. “We think it’s time for a vacation,” say the authors, who ask you to come along and Invite your friends to this regular event that MC’d by former Washington Post reporter Steve Gurney. The first stop (in April 2020) was Spain, with a special segment on walking The Camino. Next up (in May) came the Galapagos Islands. Coming in June: Exotic Turkey!

What’s next? “You’ll have to send us an email to find out,” says Pat, who promises to share some of her adventures and you can share yours. “Or just grab some vino and come along for the fun.”

More about the authors of Roam

Pat Williams:Washington DC has been home to entrepreneur Pat Williams, who for decades has been recognized as a leader in the eldercare field. A Certified Senior Advisor with 24 years of working with elders with Alzheimer’s Disease and other challenges, Pat addresses corporate and community groups with energy and information.

Pat earned her Master’s Degree in Education at Northwestern University in Evanston, near her hometown of Chicago. She holds training certifications from the Hospice and Alzheimer’s Association. In 1995, Pat founded Northern Virginia’s first and still unique home companion agency, naming it GraceFul Care in honor of her mother, Grace.

She has served as President and Rotary Assistant Governor, and on the boards of Insight Memory Care Center, Leadership Fairfax and the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. For her work, Pat has received many awards, including Chamber Business of the Year, Leadership Fairfax Community Trustee, Rotary Citizen of the Year, and most recently she was recognized as the March of Dimes Heroine of Washington.

Eileen Curtis: Having served for 20 years as Director of Music and Cultural Affairs for WGMS AM-FM, Washington’s classical music station, Eileen was the station’s liaison to Embassy Row. She scripted and produced many cultural documentaries, for which she received a Peabody, along with multiple Gabriel and Armstrong Awards and a Silver Medal for the Arts from the Government of Austria.

She enjoyed a second career as President of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she hosted a monthly television program, Circles of Influence. She served as President of the Metropolitan Council of Chamber Executives (representing Virginia, Maryland and D.C.)Her chamber colleagues voted her Virginia Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year. Her alma mater Caldwell University presented her with its lifetime achievement award in 2016.

Curtis’ published writings include the cover story for Mid-Atlantic’s Christmas in Washington; a shared centerfold with Andy Rooney on Diversions’ Traveling with Children, her book Chamber Tales, which has found an international audience; and her recent book Roam: Mindful Adventuring Across the Globe. She is also a seasoned memoirist and ghost writer, capturing written portraits of people’s fascinating lives.

Curtis trained as a classical musician and holds an M.A. in Musicology from The Catholic University of America. She also holds a certificate from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and an IOM from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute of Organizational Management. Her hobbies include singing, travel, reading, and bridge. She currently serves as President of the Rotary of Great Falls.

The author resides in Great Falls, Virginia and is married to patent attorney Marshall Curtis. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.