The cast of characters in a book is usually pretty obvious because, well, characters are people, right? You get all the people in your cast together and there you go … characters! Well, yes and no. Characters usually are people, sure, but they can be more than that. One of the most overlooked ‘characters’ in a creative work is the environment itself.
Yes, while the world around us is considered an inanimate object, it is often an important player in any book. Think about it like this: the environment around you is a constant actor that influences a multitude of decisions you undertake every day. Is it rainy? Well, you likely aren’t going to be taking a long walk on the beach. Is it sunny? You might forgo the movie theater for the sports stadium. Is there an earthquake? OMFG RUN!
J. B. Garner - Musings of a Starving Author 