It has been getting friendlier, craves attention, but does give me a fairly
vicious bite occassionally when I'm petting her, trying to gain her trust.

I have a cat just like this. Please don't give up on her yet. If she's
craving attention and getting friendlier, you're making progress. Some cats
are more skittish than others. These cats must be approached more judiciously
than their extroverted counterparts.

Someone suggested earlier that you take note of what you're doing when she does
try to bite. This is excellent advice. With my excessively shy cat, I've
found that simply extending my hand and letting her set the tempo for petting
usually suffices. When she backs off, I daren't pursue.

Although it may work on a boistrous kitten, I too fail to see the use in
scolding, that's more likely to further frighten her. Perhaps keeping contact
brief and positive would be a more effective strategy in winning her over.

She may never be a cozy, 'perfect' housecat, but the shy ones make wonderful
companions in their own right. Best of luck with her. Please post a progress
report or feel free to e-mail me.