Charisma

Aislyn suffers from crippling shyness—that is, until shes offered a dose of Charisma, an underground gene therapy drug guaranteed to make her shine.  The effects are instant.  Shes charming, vivacious, and popular.  But strangely, so are some other kids she knows.  The media goes into a frenzy when the disease turns contagious, and then deadly, and the doctor who gave it to them disappears. Aislyn must find a way to stop it, before it's too late.

Part medical thriller, part social justice commentary, Charisma will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Eighteen-year-old Eli discovers a shocking secret about his life and his family while working for a Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose specialty is genetic engineering.

Since then, she has worked as a technical writer and editor for several computer software and Internet companies, while also writing fiction. She is a National Book Award finalist.