I write young adult fantasy and science fiction. My first book, Paraworld Zero, came out in 2008 in trade paperback and audiobook formats. It hit 2 bestseller lists and placed in over 12 contests.
Matthew Peterson Paraworld Zero just became a finalist in the Next Generation Book Awards (that's over 12 awards now!) view more
About me: UPDATES for my young adult fantasy novel, Paraworld Zero:
- Hit the BarnesAndNoble.com Bestseller list!
- Hit the Amazon.com Category Bestseller list!
- Placed First in the Indie Excellence Book Awards!
- Placed First in the DIY Book Festival (twice)!
- Placed First in the London Book Festival!
- Placed Second in the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards!
- Placed Third in the Preditors and Editors Best SF Novel Awards
- Became a Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Awards Finalist!
- Became a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist (twice)!
- Received the Flamingnet Top Choice Award!
- Received honorable mentions at the Hollywood, New York, New England, and Beach Book Festivals!
I'm currently a full-time author. My debut fantasy/science fiction novel, Paraworld Zero, came out in January 2008, but I just got the U.S. rights back in June (long story), so I'm looking for a new North American publisher. Paraworld Zero will probably be re-published in 2009 or 2010. Sony just picked up the non-exclusive eBook rights for the Sony Reader, I've signed non-exclusive contracts with sites like Audible.com, iTunes.com, etc. for the audiobook (the audiobook has over 100 unique character voices and two narrators. 12.5 hours long.), and foreign publishers in Korea, India, Serbia, Croatia, and Estonia are now looking at it. Reviewers are calling it a "Harry Potter meets Star Wars!"
"...stirring audio adaptation that the whole family can enjoy, perfect for long car trips. Highly recommended." – Midwest Book Review
"I greatly enjoyed the story... an exciting page-turner" – FantasyBookSpot.com
"...a must read for anyone who loves fantasy and for anyone who loves a good adventure/coming-of-age novel." – Flamingnet TOP CHOICE Award
"The exciting action of Star Wars with the humor of Napoleon Dynamite... Paraworld Zero has strong potential to be popular among readers." – Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of Path & Crosspointe series
"Flame throwing pigeons and demonic dumpsters. Funny and imaginative." – Maria V. Snyder, award-winning author of Poison Study
"It’s always a pleasure to find a new writer...with flair and humour and a truly original imagination...
"Murderous villains, mighty warriors, goddess-like women, impossible problems and some of the wildest chases since the Keystone Kops. More fun than a barrel of computer games. Read it. Trust me, you’ll have a terrific time." – Douglas Hill, bestselling author of nearly 70 books
"Its rollicking adventure style reminds this reader of a cross between Harry Potter's adventures and those of Artemis Fowl. Colorful characters, fast-paced adventure, and clever humor make this an interesting read." – TeensReadToo.com (Readingjunky)
"Fantasy lovers will devour Paraworld Zero... incredibly unique and captivating." – ThePageFlipper.blogspot.com
"Enticing and very entertaining... funny, unique, and imaginative series." – TheCompulsiveReader.blogspot.com
"Peterson deftly blends elements of fantasy and science fiction in this action packed romp." – The Faerie Drink Review (Poised at the Edge)
"ParaWorld Zero is one of those rare young adult novels that all ages will enjoy... Don't miss this one!" – SpecFicWorld.com
"The characters are lively and the storyline is fast paced and exciting to read. It's got everything a kid would enjoy reading so you guys should definitely pick this book up..." – TheBookBinge.com
"Amazing! Harry Potter step back, Simon Kent is a magic welder with a secret history... fun adventures, cool characters, and laughable moments... Definitely a good read..." – Yellow30Scifi.com
"For a first time novelist Peterson shows a good grasp of what makes a book exciting, injecting his novel with a cracking pace, endearing characters - and the story's breakneck climax is well worth the wait." – Sci-fi Online
"This sci-fi/fantasy adventure pulls the reader in from the first sentence and keeps the pages turning. Filled with humor, cool new gadgets and spells, and an extremely original premise, this is one book you do not want to miss out on... Two thumbs up." – MySpace.com/bookchicclub
"Paraworld Zero is a sharply written, highly entertaining young adult novel. It is accessible, fast paced, with enjoyable, realistic characters." – WormsScifi.com
"The story is a nice mix of SF and fantasy... The strongest part of Paraworld Zero is the ending. Peterson writes an excellent cliffhanger that made me excited about the next episode." – BookLoons.com
"Saving the planet seems to be impossible. Only a concerted effort of all and Simon’s Magic has any chance of success." – ConNotations (Gary Swaty)
"Paraworld Zero held me in my seat from the first page. An exciting fast-paced adventure, chock full of magic and humor... Matthew Peterson delivered a formidable tale and followed through with amazing results. I for one am looking forward to the second book in this series. It cannot come out fast enough to satisfy my curiosity! While this book contains elements of Harry Potter and Star Wars it is still uniquely in a league of its own."
– MySpace.com/weaversofwords
"I highly recommend this novel to fantasy fans of every age." – MySpace.com/multiversereviews
"Readers will delight in this first book in Matthew Peterson’s Parallel Worlds series... I look forward to the next in the adventures of Simon, Tonya, and their growing gang of friends. I am sure many young readers - and older ones as well - will, too." – MyShelf.com
"...tale of magic, mayhem, and maturation... action packed... A reasonable blend of science fiction and fantasy, Simon's adventures should appeal to middle schoolers..." – VOYA
"The author has mastered the formula for injecting a constantly increasing level of tension in his story... This series should become a bestselling set of stories. We rated it an almost perfect five hearts." – HeartlandReviews.com
"I am utterly amazed at how engrossed I was by this book... This book makes you feel the magic and imagination of childhood all over again." – BookPleasures.com (Kelly Moran, Author and Reviewer, www.authorkellymoran.com)
"Lewis, Rowling, and Tolkien on steroids... an imaginative and creative coming of age adventure." – TheReadingTub.com
"“Imaginative” is the best word for this book. The science fiction genre is overcrowded in today’s market, but Peterson’s Paraworld Zero is one of those novels that stands out among the rest... Paraworld Zero is an impressive novel: not only is its concept creative, but Peterson manages to explain everything and tie up any loose ends in the story line and still leave it open for future excitement." – LiteraryMagicMag.com
"I really enjoyed this book. It was totally outside my genre of books that I read but [I was] so happy to have read it. I can't wait to read the other books in this series and see how Simon evolves." – CindysLoveOfBooks.blogspot.com
"Mr. Peterson has begun what looks like could become the next big young adult series. I was spellbound from the very beginning... The descriptions of each new situation brought the scenes to life..." – FallenAngelReviews.com (Recommended Read)
"PARAWORLD ZERO was the absolute best YA novel that I have ever read!" – BookReporter.com (Linda B. from Word of Mouth)
"I am deeply impressed with this book. I am a huge Harry Potter fan and a honest Star Wars fan and this book combines what I love of both of them... I have a feeling I'm going to be re-reading this one quite a bit." – BookwormExtraordinaire.blogspot.com
"...readers will find themselves drawn into the rollicking adventures of Simon and his friends. Plus, a few unanswered questions are sure to have them begging for a sequel." – YABooksCentral.com
"The story follows young Simon Kent, an orphan and a victim of bullies, as he is suddenly catapulted into a series of adventures by an encounter with a young student of magic. Tonya transports Simon to another "paraworld," one of many parallel universes. They have various adventures with Puds, ancient secrets, magic, space travel, etc." – School Library Journal
"Packed with Star Wars-like duels and terrifying creatures, it is a great cross between fantasy and sci-fi." – Brattleboro Reformer (Vermont Newspaper)
"...a well-written, well-narrated piece of literature... Paraworld Zero is for readers who enjoy stories of strange worlds, stranger creatures and some of the strangest (but good) characters to be ever audioed." – ReaderViewsKids.com
More about Matthew Peterson
- Spearheaded a $100,000 marketing campaign in 2008 for his debut novel, Paraworld Zero, which included TV, radio, newspaper and the Internet. Spoke to over 5 million people. Toured in 8 states and 2 countries.
- Won, received honorable mention or placed in several writing contests including WritersWeekly.com, Writers Digest, SpecFicWorld.com, Ralan's Spectravaganza, Science Fiction Writers of Earth, and L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future
- Practiced 12 years of Shotokan karate and is a 2nd degree black belt
- Received the Eagle award for Boy Scouts of America
- Served a 2-year, unpaid mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons)
-Graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelors degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Information Technology
- Has five boys, two of whom are red-headed twins
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Who I'd like to meet: Authors, Readers, Booksellers, Librarians, Publishers, Agents, Movie Producers, etc. If you have content on your profile that isn't suitable for kids younger than 18, then please don't ask to be a friend.
Thanks, & I'll let you know when I have a release date on the first novel of the Minder series. I also have a short story coming out next month, I'll send a link out when I get one. Cheers and it's nice to meet you also.
