Hi Gang-

I have a problem and I am hoping to get your thoughts on the subject. A while ago I organized a mystery/suspense/thriller box o books relay. Everyone got the box without a problem except for the person before me and myself. I contacted the person who was two in front of me in the relay and she said she sent it out to the person before me. I also contacted the person before me to tell her and she told me that she never received the package. So, I never got it back. Has anyone done a relay and what do you do if you don't get it back? Do you bother with another relay?
Thanks
Novelwriter

I'm a little confused... When you say relay, do you mean like the old-school relays here (and if so did you organize it here) or do you mean it is like a regular bookbox?

Did the person send it with delivery confirmation? Are these two people that you have had successful dealings with? There really isn't much you can do if the package really did get lost in the mail. And I suppose there really isn't much you can do even if they didn't get lost in the mail and are just sitting with the person in front of you. The fact that both responded to your pms sounds is a good sign that they aren't just being deadbeats.

Sorry I don't really have any good advice!

Hi-

Thanks for responding to my message. The reason I called it a bookbox relay is because on www.paperbackswap.com it would be like a box-o-books and on bookcrossing it would be like a relay. Also, another good way to think of this is that if you know anything about track relays and how the baton is passed on-only we used mystery/suspense/thriller books. As for your one other question the person who was before me had helped me organize a sheet of the order in which the box would go to the members. The person before that on the one hand was acting interested but then would act like they forgot about it and didn't want to be bothered.
Your Friend,
Mel

Just to clarify, I think you are thinking of the term ray or ring instead of relay. Bookcrossing doesn't really use the term relay unless someone is speaking of the relays here, which are different from what you are describing. It sounds like you are talking about a regular bookbox, which was supposed to make its way back to you at the end. I think that is why I was a little confused, but I understand now. :)

Now that you know what I am talking about what should I do? I am not sure if I want to start another one. Any help would greatly be appreciated.
Your Friend,
Novelwriter

I'd say that boxes seem to go missing slightly more often than individual books, but pretty much all rings/rays are a crapshoot.

The best you can do is try to research the people that are included to see if they seem like reasonably responsible BCers, then hope for the best...

I have had 1 bookbox and 1 bookray get stalled on me (that I put together). I feel bad about the bookray as it got stalled by the second participant (a book hoarder I didn't know about until later). The bookbox was stalled with the last person and was suppose to mail it back to me.

I've had 4 or 5 bookrays/rings/boxes that other people have organized that stalled, also.

Hi novelwriter.

I'm sorry about your bookbox! :cry: I've only ever been in one, which was organized here through bookobsessed (not by me), and that worked out fine for me (although it's not home yet - fingers crossed) http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4289905

If you hunt around on bookcrossing, searching the forum for "ISO" or "stalled", I'm afraid you'll see a lot of stalled rings and rays - and those are usually only *single* books. Three of my books are stalled right now, and I've only had two rings return home safely. So it's always a gamble.

I would just be too disappointed if a whole box of my books stalled, and I'm afraid that's one reason why I have never started my own bookbox. It's hard in your situation because you don't know whether the books truly are lost in the mail (they might be!), or whether person A is lying about sending the box or person B that they never received it. All I can say is that I sympathize with you, and that you never know - sometimes they do show up after all (but don't hold your breath). :shrug: Sorry I can't be more encouraging.

You asked, what do you do if you don't get it back? Cry! :cry: :blush: Then pick yourself up and tell yourself that's just how it goes sometimes. I would NOT offer another bookbox, at least not right away, but when you're ready do organize a bookring for just a single book. Although those are a gamble too, it's fantastic when one does come home to you, well-thumbed and loved and worn. And if it doesn't come home, well at least it's only a single book.

Good luck! :wave: