By Rick Assad
Margaret Chandra Kerrison has always been by nature a curious person and it’s helped her during her professional career.
Kerrison, a local author, recently published her fourth book, “Los Angeles Lost And Found: Essays On Identity, Place, And Belonging.”
From 2014 through 2021, Kerrison worked at the Burbank-based Walt Disney Imagineering where she was a Managing Story Editor, Story Lead, and Writer on such projects as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and National Geographic Museum of Exploration, and was able to help create stories that guests could physically step into and experience firsthand.
Behind every book, there is a reason the author chose that subject matter.
“The inspiration came from my lifelong fascination with the relationship between people and places,” explained Kerrison, who attended Tufts University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in engineering management and later attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and earned a master’s in fine arts in screenwriting. “Throughout my career, I’ve explored how environments shape behavior, memory, and emotion. After spending years creating fictional worlds and immersive destinations, I became increasingly interested in examining a real place through the same lens.”
Kerrison, who was born in Asia, added: “Los Angeles felt like the perfect subject. It’s a city built on reinvention, aspiration, and contradiction,” she stated. “As someone who was born in Indonesia, raised in Singapore, and later made Los Angeles my home, I wanted to explore how identity is shaped by geography, culture, and community. The essays became a way to understand both the city and my own sense of belonging within it.”
Kerrison explained what the book is about.
“At its heart, the book is about questions that many people wrestle with: Where do I belong? How do the places I inhabit shape who I become? What does it mean to build a home? While the essays are rooted in Los Angeles, the themes are universal,” she offered. “Whether someone has lived in the same town their entire life or moved across continents, most people have experienced moments of searching for identity and connection. I hope readers see pieces of their own journey reflected in these stories.”
To be sure, at Kerrison’s essence, she is a writer.
“I’ve been drawn to storytelling for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved books and even wrote and drew my own handmade books,” she acknowledged. “I’ve always loved writing because they transported me to other places and perspectives. Over time, that fascination evolved into a career built around creating stories in many forms.”
Kerrison knew what she wanted to do but wasn’t sure what the path would be.
“While I didn’t always know exactly what shape that career would take, writing has been the constant thread running through everything I’ve done.”
For Kerrison, there is one key that has guided her.
“I always follow my curiosity. Every book begins with a question or idea that I can’t stop thinking about,” she said. “In some cases, that question emerges from my professional work in immersive storytelling. In others, it comes from personal experiences, observations, or conversations. If a topic continues to challenge me, surprise me, and reveal new layers over time, it’s usually a sign that there’s a book there.”
Generally speaking, a writer is also a keen reader and Kerrison has always been fascinated with words.
“I love a well-written story. I enjoy memoirs, fiction, essays, cultural criticism, history, architecture, urban studies, psychology, and narrative nonfiction. I’m also drawn to novels that create richly realized worlds,” she said. “More than genre, I’m interested in books that help me see the world differently.”
Having worked for Disney and also having been a published author are exhilarating and rewarding.
“The most meaningful part is connecting with readers. Writing is often a solitary process, but books create conversations. I love hearing how someone interpreted an idea, applied a concept in their own work, or found resonance in a personal story,” she said. “People from all walks of life and professions reach out to thank me. I love hearing about their work and how my book has inspired them.”
Kerrison, who is also a keynote speaker and advisor, added: “Books also allow ideas to travel far beyond the moment they’re written,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to know that something you created can continue to inspire, challenge, or encourage people years later.”
Having worked as an Imagineer for seven years, has been invaluable for Kerrison.
“Being an Imagineer was one of the most rewarding and collaborative experiences of my career,” she said. “Imagineering brings together storytellers, architects, engineers, artists, producers, and technologists to create immersive experiences in unforgettable ways.”
Kerrison talked about what her duties were on projects.
“As a story lead and writer, my role was to develop the narrative framework that guided an experience,” she pointed out. “That could involve defining characters, creating backstories, shaping guest journeys, writing scripts, or collaborating with teams to ensure every detail supported the larger story. What fascinated me most was the opportunity to tell stories not just through dialogue and plot, but through environmental storytelling.”
The lessons Kerrison garnered as an Imagineer were immense.
“Imagineering taught me to think holistically about storytelling. Every creative choice contributes to an audience’s experience,” she noted. “Whether I’m writing essays, nonfiction, or immersive narratives, I’m always thinking about how people emotionally engage with a story. It also reinforced the importance of empathy. Great experiences begin with understanding the audience – what they hope for, what they fear, what they remember, and what will make them care. That perspective has influenced every project I’ve worked on as a writer.”
Having lived outside Southern California, Kerrison knows that there is a big world out there.
“Having lived in several countries and cities, I’ve found that every place has its own personality. What makes Los Angeles unique is its extraordinary capacity for reinvention,” Kerrison said. “People come here carrying dreams, ambitions, and stories, and the city creates space for transformation.”
Living in Southern California is a unique blend of sorts as Kerrison sees it.
“At the same time, Los Angeles shares something with many global cities: it’s a mosaic of cultures, communities, and histories,” she explained. “That diversity creates endless opportunities for discovery and connection.”
As a local within the big city, Kerrison knows nothing stays the same and is always changing.
“One of the biggest lessons is the importance of adaptability. Southern California is constantly evolving – socially, culturally, environmentally, and economically,” she said. “Living here has taught me that resilience often comes from embracing change rather than resisting it.”
Kerrison also knows that it’s about the inhabitants of a city that makes living there special.
“I’ve also learned the value of community. Despite its size and complexity, Los Angeles is ultimately a collection of neighborhoods and relationships,” she said. “The strongest sense of belonging comes not from a place itself, but from the people who help transform that place into a home.”
