With the 22nd annual Saskatchewan Festival of Words returning to Moose Jaw Thursday through Sunday, writers and readers are getting excited to meet up in the Friendly City.

Angie Abdou, a Moose Jaw native and the author of In Case I Go will be a presenter, host, and panellist for this year's festival.

"I'm going to be doing so many fun things. The first night I get there I get to host the reception, which always feels like a wonderful homecoming. I feel so welcome there and being able to lead that first night, I just love it. That's the same place where the Moose Jaw Hall of Fame is - how could I not feel at home when I'm in a place with my brothers picture hanging on the wall?"

"It's so intimate, right? The writers and readers are all mingling in the same space all weekend, so it becomes really intimate whereas some bigger festivals the writers do their event and then scurry off to their hospitality suite, and there's not that kind of interaction where the writers and readers are having lunch together and coffee breaks together, sitting out in the beautiful Crescent Park together."

And no one has been looking forward to this event more than Sarah Simison and her team down at the Festival of Words Office.

Simison is the Executive Director, and she encourages everyone who hasn't experienced this event yet to give it a try.

"If you've never been to something, just come down and check something out. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Take a chance; there's something for everyone. Go on our website, see whose coming, check out our events."

"The nice thing about our festival is it's very up close and personal. Our venues are a bit smaller, so you really get to meet people and learn new things about them. It's amazing how many writers are doing other things or working on multiple genres."

Simison says the experience is very intimate for people on both sides of the fence.

"As much as our attendees love meeting the authors, our authors love meeting our attendees. You'll walk down the street and you'll see attendees eating lunch with one of the authors because they happened to be chatting after one of the sessions and said 'What are you doing?' and they go downtown and have a bite to eat and the conversation continues. Authors every year compliment Moose Jaw and how great the crowds are and how engaged they are."

The Festival of Words kicks off today and will run to the 22nd with events across Moose Jaw.