In the latest episode of Portrait of a Fangirl podcast, host Jenna Wrenn spoke with author Emily Zemler about her latest book “The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town.”
Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast
The “Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast” is a new series from the team at the Temple of Geek. Portrait of a Fangirl initially began as a web series and has now expanded into a podcast series as well. You can watch and listen to the series both here and on our YouTube channel. Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, at the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.

You can listen to the Temple of Geek Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Stitcher / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel.
Emily Zemler Discusses “The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town”
Being a fangirl looks different to each person. In this episode, Emily Zemler discussed how fandom played a large part in conducting research for “The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town.”
The filmmakers made the film, but the fans made the film what it is today. You should acknowledge their contributions, and Tim Burton acknowledges their contributions. He loves that fans take his creations and make them their own.
So I loved talking to the cosplayers [and] to people who made fashion out of The Nightmare Before Christmas. I just felt like everybody had such passion for it, and their reasons were different, but kind of similar. People really resonate with this “I felt like a misfit my whole life and this helps me to feel like I belong. And I think that’s a really nice message.

About Our Guest
Emily Zemler is a writer and journalist based in London. She is a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone, among other prestigious outlets. Emily is the co-author of A Sick Life, with TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, and the author of The Art and Making of Aladdin and Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town
From Disney and Epic Ink:
After 30 years, discover the inspirations behind Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and its legacy as a certified pop-culture experience.
What is it about Jack Skellington that is so compelling? Why does the love between Sally and Jack resonate with so many? The feature-length, stop-motion movie about the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who becomes obsessed with celebrating Christmas is a fascinating musical and love story that has transcended the original film and captivated the world. From the improbable tale to the lovable characters, Tim Burton’s creation has turned into a lifestyle, branching into fashion, video games, card and board games, live-action concerts,

Author Emily Zemler discusses "The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloweentown"