Science fiction/fantasy fans and readers who are searching for the ideal summer escape novel may well find "Paraworld Zero" by Matthew Peterson to be their perfect lawn chair read. Giant fire-breathing pigeons, boulder-sized apples and warriors who pop into parallel worlds populate Matthew Peterson's creative mind and ignited the imaginations of Lakeview Academy Charter School students when the best selling author spoke to them just before summer break. Peterson not only wrote the recent BarnesAndNoble.com Top 50 hit science fiction/fantasy novel, "Paraworld Zero," he also produced the cover and chapter art and narrated the audio book.

"He's a fabulous author who can help you develop your own creative writing talents," said Lakeview Academy Director Harold Stone when he introduced Peterson to the middle school students. After asking for a show of hands from the many students who had already read or started reading "Paraworld Zero," Peterson skipped the prologue and dramatized a middle section of the book using character voices he perfected while recording the audio version of the novel. The action-packed narrative kept the young audience laughing at the characters' preposterous predicaments and wishing for more.

"How long have you been writing?" asked one girl when Peterson opened the forum for questions.

"This is my first book, but I have been writing since I was your age," said Peterson. In fact, Peterson said that he developed the story line and main characters for "Paraworld Zero" when he was in his teens. "Back when I was 14 the idea just came to me," Peterson said."

"Did you base the main character on yourself?" another student wanted to know.

"Yes, Simon is very much like me and some of my friends, and some of the older characters are based on me as well, as I grew up," said Peterson. Peterson spent his youth in Orem where he won several short story contests and learned karate. Admitting that he starred as the agile karate master in the book's video trailer, Peterson obliged the students' requests for a demonstration with some swift kicks and punches.

Following the middle school presentation, Peterson autographed books for students, parents and faculty. Then he conducted a creative writing workshop for students with a passion for pen and paper. "You need to read-not just watch movies-if you want to write," Peterson told the creative writers. He encouraged the students to listen, read and write during their summer break. "You need to learn grammar and punctuation, too. I bought five grammar and punctuation books and read them cover to cover," Peterson said amidst groans and sighs from the students.

"It was so great to have him come and talk to these guys. He's given them some really good ideas they can use," said Sanna Lee Hennefer, Lakeview Academy Creative Writing/English aide.

"I love his book. I was the fifth person ever to read it. I plan to be an author, too," said Amanda Peterson, Matthew Peterson's niece, fan and Lakeview Academy student.

"Amanda was one of the reasons I came to Utah on my way to Book Expo America in LA," said Peterson. "The other reason was to see a billboard promoting my book on the freeway by UVSC," he said.

Peterson lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife and five sons and a giant African tortoise. His first book, "Paraworld Zero," is book one of his production-in-progress, the Parallel Worlds series. Fans can learn more about the author, the book and the series on Peterson's Web site www.paraworlds.com.