I have had a book on my wishlist for years, from Feb 2013. This week my wish was granted. I assume this means that the book was just posted.  But the poster cancelled the request claiming,  "It has been so long since I listed this book that I can't find it." Is this possible? 

I have had that happen with a regular request, not a wish list. My request was passed on to the next person who had the book. I think you will still keep your place in line.

Gayle, that's disappointing.   I'm trying to think of what could have happened.  Maybe they had the wl book on their TBR list or on the bookshelf on hold.  Maybe they did not have the book in their hand when they posted but posted from their list.  Then they realized they could not find the book. Resulting in them cancelling. 

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. 

I had a wish list offer this morning that was cancelled about an hour later.  The account is suspended or closed. Got my hopes up for nothin'

 I had 2 cancelled from the same person withthe reason of "I just can't part with them yet."..Ok, but why did you post them then?

Hopefully, though, it means you're next up when it's posted again! I say "hopefully" only because I've had a couple in years past where that happened and I'm still waiting. Some books are rarely posted. Others, almost never. A few, I think, don't even exist and the listing is not only a wish, it's a delusion, LOL. And sorry, not to be too much of a downer, but even being first on the WL is not a guarantee. Nonetheless, I do wish you good luck!

It could depend on what they consider "a long time". I know some members that think a week is a terribly long time. It could be the case that they posted the book and it went through several (maybe a lot) of time-outs/declines (at up to 2 days a pop).

When it's a wish listed book that get cancelled, I always PM the member after they cancel with a request that if they DO find it or are willing to part with it at some point I would still like it.  I've had several cancelled WL books come my way by doing that. I don't mind waiting for WL books and some of them are so rarely posted, I will let the person who posted a WL book and then cancelled know that I still want it no matter when they are willing to part with it. 

Tory M, I like your method.  There have been times that I posted a book but when I looked for it, I could not find it.  I let the requestor know I can't find it.  You suggestion offers a chance to close the circle.

I saw a book get posted thru Books Posted Today. 

So I ordered it.  

3 days later the book was cancelled by sender.  

I figured they posted a book they didn't mean to post?

Yup it happened to me (although I did have the book and was able to send it).  I had my shelf on vacation hold for an extended period, and took it of temporarily so I could post a WL book to a friend.  Suddenly I had THREE books to send because my books had moved up in the FIFO line.