In her new fiction thriller, “Deception,” California author Cynthia Kumanchik confronts a frightening issue that many teens face today with the hope that teens and parents alike will be more aware of the internet's dangers.

The book introduces readers to Monique, who may seem outgoing and bubbly on the outside, but really she is a lonely and self-conscious teenage girl. She craves the attention of her mother and stepfather, who are absorbed in their own lives and Monique's little brother. When she comes into contact with her biological father, she thinks she may have caught a break. Instead, her mother forbids her to have a relationship with him, and her family may end up in court.

Monique seeks solace in myteensite.com, where she receives romantic messages from the mysterious JS. Despite her friends' repeated warnings about the overzealous suitor, Monique falls more and more for JS. He is so different from all the others, and he wants to take her away from her chaotic life. Readers learn if Monique will realize the danger of JS before she falls into his trap of deception and is gone forever.

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book is available through bookstores nationwide, from the publisher at www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, or by visiting barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.