Sway Spotlight #3: Lacey

Lacey Musgrove: best friend of Mari, Ava's sister. Sister to Charlie, Ava's best friend. (That totally sounded like one of those- she's my best friend's sister's aunt's cousin's friend from college...) Lacey is beautiful, naive, outgoing, optimistic, and fun. She works at a clothing boutique, wants to marry someone famous, and begins dating Eric.

Lacey was difficult to write. Obviously my dislike of her (she's stealing Ava's man!!!) was coloring my first few drafts. I had a few beta comments of "she's too caricature-ish" and "give the girl a chance, otherwise why would Eric even be with her?" Good point.

Ashley Benson- the actress I'd pick to play Lacey

Since I cut Lacey's sister Halle, I infused Lacey with a lot of the sweetness that Halle had. I also tried to put some of myself into Lacey- as in, what would I do in that situation? Lacey lives a little bit in la-la-land (which is something I connect with), and so when she's faced with one of her dreams sort of coming true, I wanted her to act in a realistic way- a little selfish but still likeable. I learned to feel a little sorry for the poor girl, caught in between very gigantic feelings she doesn't realize are still going on. I hope I made Lacey a little more real, a lot less caricaturey. And I hope, despite the fact that we don't really want her to end up with Eric, that she's still likeable and relateable.

Lacey isn't musical, but in one scene she starts busting out these Just Dance 3 moves. Another bit of me I put into Lacey- I rock at this song!