Solitaire, inspiration and snooker · 10:41am May 2nd, 2023
Let's start with the Fimfiction stuff. I've been writing a story called Solitaire for a week. It's funny, how inspiration works. When you start, you're buzzing. It's like you're possessed. Your whole life becomes the story. I spent the first three or four days writing with small breaks for eating or walking. Now, after a spot of disruption in the shape of returning to the external world, I'm struggling. The inspiration's gone. I'm fed up. The stuff I'm writing now sounds a bit rubbish, whereas the stuff I did in the days before sounds – well, not as good as it did then but still good. Anyway. Nothing new, this. I know how it is. But this time I mean to publish the chapters I wrote. If inspiration for this returns, and I hope it does, great. I'll return to it. Otherwise it's back to work elsewhere.
Snooker time now. That final wasn't the greatest, but it's been a nice old tournament. What did I tell you about Brecel? No, I didn't think he'd beat Ronnie, but I said it would be him if anyone. McGill had a great match vs Si, who I didn't think would get as far as he did – match of the tournament, with so much tension and excitement. In the end, Selby went furthest out of my picks. He did well to come back to 15-16, but the way Luca was playing and that he had been 16-10 up proved too much even for him. I hope he's OK. He's had mental-health issues. Luca Brecel, take a bow! To come into this tournament with 15 mins of practice – yeah! – and without a win at the Crucible and win it… it's crazy. He's finally lived up to the potential, and who knows? He's only 28. His style, all-out-attacking, is even more aggressive than Hendry's. This may be where snooker is going: pot, pot, pot! Break-building's never been better, but safety is better too; better long-potting has forced that. So long as the game keeps going up, I'm happy. And it has only improved since Davis – that holds true for either Joe or Steve – which is great.
Right, it's time for me to get back to the creative work for which I'm paid. I mean to get Solitaire published, complete or not. It won't be now, but I hope I can swing my eyes over it soon. All the best.
Acologic out.
