Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).
The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.
Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.
This blend of fiction and photography created a "morbid realism" that drove the first book to the New York Times bestseller list. ⏳ Key Story Concepts
Ruby Smith reviews Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a dark fantasy series that follows Jacob Portman, a teenager who discovers a secret orphanage for children with paranormal abilities . Locked in a time loop on a remote Welsh island, the "Peculiars" are protected by their headmistress, Miss Peregrine, from monstrous creatures that hunt them. Originally a bestselling novel by Ransom Riggs, the story was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton. 📸 The Found-Photo Phenomenon This blend of fiction and photography created a
The series began as a collection of eerie vintage photographs discovered by author Ransom Riggs . Originally a bestselling novel by Ransom Riggs, the
The books integrate actual found photos to illustrate the characters' bizarre traits.