Fully Booked
The Hidden Gems Author Podcast
Episode 227 – Building Atmosphere Through Setting
Hosted by: Craig Tuch and Roland Hulme with special guest Marc S. Perlman
This week on Fully Booked, Craig and Roland sit down with debut novelist Marc S. Perlman to explore how setting can become far more than a backdrop. Inspired by a real journey through an ancient forest on the border of Poland and Belarus, Marc discusses how the eerie landscape at the center of his thriller evolved into a living presence within the story itself. From hidden dangers in the woods to the tension of crossing political borders, the conversation dives into the power of atmosphere and the role setting plays in shaping suspense, emotion, and character.
Marc explains how he used weather, isolation, borders, and the smallest sensory details to transform the emotional tone of his scenes, and how those elements can make a setting come alive on the page. The discussion explores why forests have traditionally carried an ominous presence throughout storytelling history, and more broadly how real world locations can inspire richer fiction. While a gripping plot and compelling characters may hook a reader, it is often atmosphere that keeps them turning pages long into the night.
Marc Perlman
https://marcsperlman.com/