I have been musing over the idea of a book swap for some time, but in my head could never quite get it to work. These days it costs £4 to post a book, so once you’ve bought the book and a jiffy bag to pack it in you’ve spent double what it would cost just to buy the book itself. I know it’s the thought that counts and all that but I don’t want to run a swap that’s going to leave people out of pocket.
Yesterday I was in one of the local charity shops when I saw one of my favourite books on the shelves, for £2. It warmed my heart to think of someone who hadn’t already read it picking it up, and it maybe becoming a favourite for them too. Come to think of it, I thought, I quite often see some real crackers on the shelves of charity shops. Then it hit me – that’s what we could swap! Little gems of books tucked away on bookshelves waiting for someone who knows how great they are to snap them up.
So here’s my idea. I gather names and email addresses of people interested. You then spend a couple of weeks trawling your local charity shops, second-hand bookshops, car boot sales, Amazon used – whatever – for two amazing books that you love. They must be good, clean copies – they don’t have to be brand new but they have to be in what I would call ‘very good condition’ – not something that looks like it’s been dropped in the bath! You then post both copies out to your allotted swapee, maybe with a little treat for them to enjoy their books with, just a suggestion! (Feel free to send more books if you like but two is what you can expect from your partner).
It’s not a secret swap so I’ll match people in pairs and you’ll post out to each other. Who knows, you may even want to carry on swapping after the swap has finished!
So here’s the rules. If you want to play, leave a comment telling me:
1. Your name
2. Your e-mail address
3. Your blog if you have one, so your partner can get to know you!
4. If you have a specific genre you mainly read out of the following, then list that too. If you’re happy to read anything then leave this bit out 🙂 Oh, and anything you really don’t like so I can pass that on to your swapper!
genres: thriller/crime, history, biography, chick-lit, sci-fi, fantasy
If you list something in number 4 I’ll try and match you with someone with the same interests but no promises!
You need to leave your comments by Monday 21st October to be involved. I’ll create a spreadsheet and e-mail people their matches by the 31st, you then have until the 30th November to get your books posted out. Plan? It’s UK bloggers only I’m afraid to keep postage costs down.
If you have a blog and fancy reviewing the books you receive on your blog that could be really fun – if this works well I’m up for organising more in future!
Happy commenting and book buying – you’ll hear from me in a few weeks! (It would be sooner but I’m away for two weeks in October, sorry bibliophiles!)
OH AND – you can use the hashtag #bloggerbookswap to keep up with the chats about the swap, but don’t reveal the books you’re buying, they’re a surprise! 🙂
PS – It can be a book you already have, but it has to be a book you enjoyed so you can recommend it on to others.
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