Carol Snow's "Just Like Me, Only Better"

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Carol Snow, a former contributor to Salon.com, lives in California with her family where she writes books for teens as well as for adults.

Here she shares some casting ideas for a film adaptation of her new novel, Just Like Me, Only Better:

Just Like Me, Only Better tells the story of a struggling suburban single mother and substitute teacher (yes, I overdid on the s’s) named Veronica Czaplicki who gets hired to be a celebrity double for an imploding young Hollywood starlet named Haley Rush. In her job, Veronica must deal with Haley’s controlling manager, Jay Sharpie. Fake dates with Haley’s ex, B-list hunk Brady Ellis, sweeten the deal. And so, on to the casting.

Veronica/Haley: Since Veronica and Haley are supposed to look so much alike, one actress could play both roles, but I’ve always found that technique distracting. Parent Trap, anyone? I’d encourage the studio to cast two similar-looking actresses. The studio would completely ignore my advice and do whatever the hell they please.

Publishers Weekly described Haley as a cross between Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus. Kudos to the reviewer: I had both of them in mind when I wrote the book. Lindsay Lohan even has that Parent Trap split-role experience. Of course, there are way too many problems with casting Lohan. No manager in his right mind would let her play a role that emphasized her instability. Even if she did agree to the part, the insurance would be prohibitive. And, c’mon. Do you really think she’d show up?

Miley Cyrus wouldn't work either, at least not now; she’s far too young. Also, she takes herself way too seriously. And she can’t actually, like, act. And so, the role of Veronica and/or Haley goes to … Amanda Bynes (and another actress who looks like Amanda Bynes). She can sing. She can act. She’s got that wholesome girl-next-door thing going on. And even though she’s been in the spotlight so long that she should be on her third stint in rehab (at least), she seems remarkably sane.

Jay Sharpie: Sometimes the most obvious choice is the most effective. I’d give the role of Haley’s manager to Kevin Connolly, the guy who plays Vince Chase’s manager, Eric, on Entourage.

Brady Ellis: How hard can it be to cast a minimally talented pretty boy? Not very. In the first draft of the book, Brady was named Brody. It wasn’t until I came across Brody Jenner in a magazine that I realized my subconscious had already cast him.

Learn more about the book and author at Carol Snow's website.

--Marshal Zeringue