I have a secret. While I am, by all accounts, a handsome drunkard with a dynamite sense of fashion, I am also an incorrigible geek who believes that science fiction is not only the most successful of twentieth century literary movements, but also the most important.

For the past month I've been eagerly awaiting the release of "Tesseracts Ten"; a collection of Canadian science fiction. And, on Saturday, it finally came out.

The launch party was at Bakka Books on Queen West. Although I should have been at work, I skived off to attend. Both of the editors, Hugo Award Winner Robert Charles Wilson and Bram Stoker Award winner Edo Van Belkom, were there - as were a good portion of the writers. SF fandom was also out in force.

I know that certain images come to mind when people think of SF fans. But, I can assure you, no one was dressed up like a Klingon. The people who attend these events do so for basically the same reason I have martinis at lunch. It's so they don't need to feel self-conscious about their love of science fiction. (I drink martinis so I don't have to feel self-conscious about my love of martinis.)

Not that Canadian science fiction has anything to be ashamed about. The last two actual science fiction novels -- as opposed to fantasy -- to win the Hugo have been by Canadians - Robert Charles Wilson in 2006 and Robert J. Sawyer in 2003. The reputation of the Tesseracts series is such that you have to wonder if the next Canuck to take home the genre's highest honour has a story somewhere inside.

And I only have to wait another year for the next one.