The Ronnie O'Sullivan effect

At the start of the 2013 Snooker World Championship I took a photo from the BBC gantry of Ronnie O'Sullivan, the defending champion, walking out to deserved acclaim at the start of the tournament.

Taken with a fish-eye lens it captured the whole of the arena at the Crucible, Ronnie walking out to shake the hand of announcer Rob Walker, and the two-table set up.

It soon made it on to Ronnie's own website (www.ronnieosullivan.tv) and is available to buy at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_553244.html#photos_id=11235541

The author of http://www.prosnookerblog.com (one of the best snooker sites around) liked it so much that he asked for a copy.  This he printed out and at the recent UK Championships in York asked Ronnie to sign it about 10 minutes after he did his 147 break.

Ronnie wrote: "To Matt, the best man for stats in snooker, top man, Ronnie O'Sullivan 147"

Always nice to see your work appreciated.

Move over J K Rowling

Ok, so the content is different and I don't write about wizards (though as I get older and grumpier the wish to have a wand that would respond to "Expelliarmus" etc is very tempting).

No, the publishing world has decided to act like buses recently and make a splurge on my photos in: the Rotherham Advertiser; Dinnington Guardian; Barnsley Chronicle; Sheffield Telegraph and (best of all) UK Tennis magazine.

At least she'll have an ice-breaker now in case we start mingling in the same circles......