With WordFest on the horizon, author Samantha Warwick eagerly awaits her opportunity to enlighten and inspire young writers. She will soon join some of her peers at the Art Gallery of Calgary in an event dubbed "Alberta Bound," featuring Warwick, along with other popular Albertan authors, reading excerpts from their books and participating in some Q & A with the audience.

Warwick, who was born in Montreal and presently lives in Calgary, will be reading from her debut novel Sage Island, inspired by true events and reflective of Warwick's life-long passion for swimming. It tells the story of a 19-year-old girl in the "roaring '20s" who finds her release in swimming- a liberation that eventually leads her to the 21-mile Wrigley Ocean Marathon.

Warwick has been in attendance at WordFest every year since 2005. Most of those previous appearances, however, as a fan. It is at this event that Warwick was able to hear inspiring words from some of her favourite authors, including Margaret Atwood, Michael Crummey and Charlotte Gill. With her role reversed, she now has the chance to be a source of inspiration and an instigator of imagination. Not to say that she also won't be one of those glued listeners. Warwick plans to absorb some of the stirring book babble.

"This year, I'm looking forward to Claudia Dey, Steven Galloway, Lee Henderson and Meg Wolitzer, among others," she says.

The writer has actually competed in a number of long-distance swimming races herself and coached competitive swimming for seven years. She currently gets her release on a recreational swim team.

Warwick will also moderate a panel of two editor/writer teams titled "Keys to the Biz."

"[It] should be interesting for writers as it will discuss the sometimes tumultuous relationship between author and editor," she says.