Thanks largely to Twitter, I felt I knew Lacey Jones even before our interview. For instance, I knew both her whereabouts and most intimate thoughts on July 16 at 2:42 a.m.: “Home in bed now. Tomorrow begins a new chapter in my life.”

Hmm. I wondered what was up? Boyfriend trouble? Career reversal? Slightly delayed quarter-life crisis? But no, nothing so dramatic. It was just that the World Series of Poker was ending, a particularly intensive time for the enterprising poker pro, TV host and fashion model. “It was so intense,” she explains. “And now that it’s done, I just feel that a whole new phase is beginning.” Part of that will involve launching a United Service Organizations Poker Tour, a charitable initiative that’s extremely important to Jones. Her father was a pilot in the Vietnam War and many of her friends and family have served in the U.S. military.

See more sexy swimsuit pics with Lacey

Alongside her charitable work, which includes “probably playing in more charity poker tournaments than I should,” the fifth-generation Texan has a wide-open social calendar. “I haven’t met Mr. Right yet,” she says, adding with a laugh, “Though I’m assuming that he’s just around the corner!” Whoever he is, he’ll have to be mobile. Jones uses Vegas as a home base but can also be found – or at least followed via Twitter – jetting to tournaments worldwide, visiting her best friend in Vancouver, shooting commercials for ZizZazz Energy Mix, playing online for Absolute Poker, etc. If it sounds glamorous, think again. Some days are spent sitting tensely at a poker table for 14 hours at a stretch, after which, a kind of mental exhaustion kicks in and her brain, in her own words, turns to “mush.”

“People don’t think playing poker for a living can be very hard but there’s a lot of math involved and a lot of theory,” she says. On top of that, Jones pushes herself, which can also prove frustrating when entering a poker tournament with a field of 6,000, including seasoned pros like Phil Ivey and Jesus Ferguson. For instance, she bubbled at a recent HORSE tournament but lost two key pots to James Van Alstyne, who ended up taking home the championship bracelet.

That said, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love to keep things varied,” she says. “I could never have a 9-to-5 job. I love travel and need that stimulation.” Among the many places she journeys to, British Columbia stands out as a favourite – not only for its beauty but for the sense of peace that she feels there. Perhaps it’s the Canadian connection that she has through her father’s side of the family; his grandmother was born in Quebec with the maiden name McGill. McGill is Jones’s middle name and she wears it proudly. I suggest that all she really needs is to find a nice Canadian boy to marry. She laughs and quickly agrees, adding, “I really don’t know what the next few months will hold. It’s exciting that there’s this unknown chapter in my life that I’m getting to write each day.”

To see how it’s turning out at this very moment, you can catch up with Lacey Jones at:
http://twitter.com/LaceyJones

Lacey Jones met with photographer Darryl Humphrey for an exclusive TORO Woman shoot and revealed insights into her personality in the following Q&A.

Q: What is your present state of mind?
A: I’m very peaceful right now.

Q: What is the quality you like most in a man?
A: Sense of humour.

Q: The quality you like most in a woman?
A: Loyalty.

Q: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A: Inner peace.

Q: When and where were you happiest?
A: That would be in Vancouver on my 30th birthday with Alex Lee Behan. She flew me up for my 30th and we did 30 things. It was amazing.

Q: Which living person do you most admire?
A: I would say Kofi Annan. He was formerly the Secretary-General of the United Nations. I know that a lot of people don’t like the UN, but he did an amazing job in his time there. And I’d also have to add the Dalai Lama.

Q: What is your greatest extravagance or indulgence?
A: I like spa days and getting massages, but I also love to eat. And that’s the great thing about living in Las Vegas – there are so many amazing restaurants in town. So I love to go out and just eat a ton. Of course, because of the modelling, I work out really hard the next day! [laughs]

Q: What is your most treasured possession?
A: Mr. Teddy. He’s a stuffed bear as old as me, though I don’t travel with him as much anymore because people think that I’m crazy.

Q: Other than your present occupation, what occupation would you like to try?
A: Well, my ultimate goal in life is to be ambassador to a French-speaking country.

Q: If you were to die and come back as a person and/or thing, what do you think it would be?
A: A racehorse.

Q: What is your greatest fear?
A: Clowns! I hate them.

Q: What trait do you deplore most in others?
A: Lying. Now here I am in poker [laughs] but I just can’t stand liars. I don’t like dishonesty in people, and I don’t think there’s every really a need to ever be someone that you’re not or to say something that isn’t true.

Q: What trait do you deplore most in yourself?
A: I’d have to say my shyness. I’m very shy around people that I don’t know too well. And sometimes it comes across as me being aloof or that I don’t like people. But then once I know them and open up, I’m a completely different person. I just wish that I could cover the fact that I’m so shy.

Q: What do you dislike most about your appearance?
A: Nothing, at this point; I really do love myself the way you’re supposed to. And it’s really hard if you have insecurities when you’re modelling, because they will come out. I do have a scar on my face that I got when I was younger, though nowadays everyone thinks that it’s cute. My mom always said it built character and all of that, but for a long time I used to hate it.

Q: What is your most defining characteristic?
A: I’m very spontaneous. I like to do random things and just have fun. I’m not predictable. If someone were to say to me, “Hey, let’s go to Mexico tomorrow morning,” I’d say, “Sure, okay.” Unless I have a job or a tournament coming up, I’m there. I’d go, no question.

Q: What or who is the greatest love of your life?
A: I definitely would have to say that my boyfriend in college was my greatest love. But he passed away, so it was sad. It’s a tough question for me. But I’d have to say that Alex Lee Behan has more than made up for it – more than any man that I’ve ever dated, that’s for sure. Not in a romantic way, of course, but love as a best friend. She’s my rock and my heart and I don’t think I’d be here without her.

Q: What is your motto?
A: Never give up.

William Morassutti is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of TORO. Prior to joining TORO, he worked in Canadian broadcasting as a writer, producer, director, reporter and host.