The Simulacrum Series

A teenager becomes a romantic hero in an artificial-reality school full of supernatural secrets in the first book of a slice-of-life, urban-fantasy series.   Leonard Dunning wakes up in a home he doesn't remember—and to a face in the mirror he doesn't recognize. He soon discovers he attends Blue Cherry High with his best friend, Josh Bernstein, who seems to be the most popular boy in school, with several girls competing for his attention. As the girls collide and clash over the oblivious Josh, Leo realizes each of them displays quirks of characters found in an anime harem comedy. So if Josh is the story's protagonist, what does that make Leo?   To learn more about the simulation in which he's been cast, Leo enlists the help of background extra Judy Sennoma. Together, they observe and catalog what's going on around them to try to figure out how the story will unfold. But as Leo interacts with Josh's love interests and inadvertently confronts stereotypical villains, he disrupts the flow of the narrative. Now, two girls have set their romantic sights on him, and he's made some very powerful enemies. As the designated secondary protagonist, Leo has become a hero in an adventure that's no longer following the tropes of the genre—and placed himself and his friends in grave danger.   Caught in the crosshairs, Leo must develop his newfound superhuman abilities before he gets dragged into the hidden conflicts between otherworldly factions. But he's not afraid to push back against the plot, and the narrative's shadowy controllers are in for a rude awakening.   The first volume of the hit slice-of-life romantic-comedy series—with more than two million views on Royal Road—now available on Audible and wherever ebooks are sold!

Trapped in an artificial-reality battle school, a genre-savvy hero is caught between two girls and four supernatural factions, in this slice-of-life fantasy.   Leonard Dunning was supposed to be the comic-relief best friend of the hero in a supernatural harem-comedy narrative. Instead, his rebellious attitude, flirtatious nature, and downright bravado have placed him in a starring role in a fantasy simulation where he possesses superhuman abilities, fights otherworldly creatures, and has won the hearts of two high school girls—Eleanor Dracis, a noble family's princess, and Judy Sennoma, a "placeholder" character awakened by Leo's interactions.   His antics have brought him the attention of four powerful cabals: the magical Magi, dragon-clan Draconians, angelic Celestials, and demonic Abyssals. Each of them is trying to fulfill an ancient prophecy involving Leo's friend Josh Bernstein—the story's would-be hero—as their chosen one. But Leo's knowledge of the genre's tropes, his array of out-of-context superpowers, and his loyalty to his friends have altered the narrative and made him the center of attention instead.     Now, he's been branded Leonard Blackcloak and become entangled in several seemingly disconnected plots. And when a goofy mad scientist's army of robots attacks Leo's friends, it's clear the simulation is trying to reassert control of the story with a sentai genre shift. With two girls to keep happy, the side effects of his powers wreaking havoc on his body, and numerous new enemies and allies joining the fray, Leo must uncover the identities of those in control—and what their endgame truly is.   The second volume of the hit slice-of-life romantic-comedy series—with more than two million views on Royal Road—now available on Audible and wherever ebooks are sold!

Teen romantic hero Leo Dunning contends with supernatural forces in an artificial-reality narrative that's quickly spinning out of control. Leonard Dunning insists he's not the heroic leader his friends—and enemies—think he is. Originally an amnesiac assigned the role of the goofy best friend of the hero in a paranormal/harem comedy/battle school storyline, Leo's meddling with predetermined events has inadvertently caused the narrative to acknowledge him as a protagonist . . . and prepare a new set of challenges tailor-made for him to grapple with. Now, the mad scientist known as Dr. Robatto is wreaking havoc with his robot army; the monster huntress Rinne with her bloodthirsty, possessed sword Onikiri keeps dragging Leo out on patrols to exterminate otherworldly creatures; the scheming arch-mage of the island has his eyes on Leo and his friends; and Judy Sennoma and Eleanor Dracis—the girls who've stolen Leo's heart—are getting impatient because he has yet to make any serious moves on either one of them. As if multiple nemeses and a polyamorous relationship weren't enough to juggle, Leo's troubles increase exponentially when his forgotten identity finally catches up with him. And when all the schemes and narrative plots come to a head, Leo will have to strain his body, mind, and teleportation abilities to the limit just to keep up. The third volume of the hit slice-of-life romantic-comedy series—with more than two million views on Royal Road—now available on Audible and wherever ebooks are sold!