Becoming

by Kris Ashton, Jodi Christensen (editor), Black Hare Press

Pete Davis is just a small-town kid trying to adapt to life at an interstellar university light-years from home. But nothing could prepare him for Esther, the alien student whose arrival on campus stirs curiosity, fear, and something far darker.

Pete's roommate, Lester, takes an intense interest in Esther, and Pete witnesses a blossoming union of strange desires and unsettling encounters. As his friend’s fascination turns to obsession, Pete begins to fear for his sanity and physical safety.

Could Esther be hiding something terrifying from her lovesick beau, or is Pete just another xenophobic hayseed?
Becoming is a chilling tale of desire, betrayal, and the alien truths that lie just beneath the surface.

55 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2025

About the author

Award-winning writer and editor Kris Ashton has published four novels, nearly fifty short stories, and numerous essays and reviews. His work has appeared in Aurealis, Midnight Echo, Andromeda Spaceways and many international titles, including The Fiction Desk.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Western Sydney University in 1997, he has had a 25-year career as a journalist and is currently associate editor of Open Road, one of the longest running and most widely read magazines in Australia.

He lives in the wilds of western Sydney with his wife, two children, and a crippling mortgage.