This past weekend, I took my boys to the huge used book sale at the State Fair Grounds, a twice-yearly event I really enjoy. While browsing the hardback novel section with my eight-year-old, he held up a book at one point and said, quite loudly, “Mom! Isn’t this your book? Why did someone give it away? Didn’t they like it?”

 Ah, my dear sweet, noisy little urchin. I appreciate you brining this awkward moment to the attention of the dozen or more shoppers around us.

 Humble pie is just a part of publishing. I know this. I accept this. I just wish the servings weren’t quite so big.

 Other humble pie questions I’ve frequently eaten:

 “Are you going to be on Oprah?” (This would be the most popular pie flavor.)

“You won a National Book Award?!” (No, an American Book Award. A National Book Award is a sibling of the Pulitzer. An American Book Award is a second cousin twice removed.)

“You’re from Iowa? Did you attend the Iowa Writer’s Workshop?”

“Where can I buy your new book? (Um, as soon as my agent sells it to a publisher, I’ll letcha know.)

 “How much money have you made?”

 Which inevitably leads to…

 “Maybe you should write something like those Twilight books?”

 Which inevitably leads to…

 “Do you think your book will be made into a movie?”

 And lest I forget my favorite humble pie conversation of all time. I was in Florida for a writer’s workshop with a highly acclaimed, much-lauded author. At one point, my recent American Book Award was brought up in the following conversation:

 Instructor: “So you won an American Book Award?”

 Me: “Yes. Last month.”

 Instructor: “I was once nominated for an American Book Award.”

 Me: “Oh, really?”

 Instructor: “I didn’t win.”

 Me: “Umm, oh.”

 Instructor: “But I did win a National Book Award.”

 Can I at least get my slices á la mode?