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Image Courtesy of The Writers Ranch

Important Info & Author Notes

First a big THANK YOU to my wonderful beta reader Lisa L. She took a chance on a newbie and put up with my silly quirks. As a big Jimmy/Lou fan (and that's an understatment) she didn't hurt me for not warning her about Kid's story. I hope she enjoyed my stories at least a fraction of how I enjoyed hers!

The Rules of the Challenge

Below is a list of 33 titles of songs written and/or performed by the Statler Brothers (the most awarded group in the history of country music and my personal 4-part harmony favorites).

The challenge is for everyone to write at LEAST one song for each of the 11 TYR characters (also listed below) using the title for inspiration (please note: I'm leaving out Noah and Jesse because 1) I don't write those two and 2) it's my challenge.

The reason for the challenge is simple. With few exceptions, everyone seems to have their favorite character and only writes that character. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes it's a good thing to get *out of the box* and write one of the other characters, especially the ones you don't particularly care for.

Here are the restrictions:

  1. There has to be 1 story PER character for a total of 11 stories
  2. No fair cheating and writing 11 stories about one character (although I'm sure the Writer's Ranch crew would love to have the stories that's not the objective)
  3. The characters must play the main part in their particular story, but the others can play "supporting roles".
  4. The story must be at least 2 pages long (I was going to say 3 but I think 2 is more reasonable) single-spaced in no larger than Courier New 10 font (so no doing what I used to do in school and writing BIG). No fair changing the margins either!
  5. I've been trying to figure out a decent time limit on the challenge. Given that summer is upon us and everyone has a *real* life (I think I do, it's been a while since I've been sure) I'm thinking the end of this year, so December 31, 2007. That's a little over 6 months so less than 2 a month.

Here are the Characters:

  1. Buck
  2. Cody
  3. Emma
  4. Ike
  5. Jimmy
  6. Kid
  7. Lou
  8. Rachel
  9. Sam
  10. Teaspoon
  11. Tompkins

Here are the Song Titles:

  1. A Couple More Years (Part 1: Teaspoon)
  2. All I Have to Offer You Is Me (Part 1: Lou)
  3. Almost Persuaded (Part 3: Lou)
  4. Angel in Her Face (Part 1: Sam)
  5. Burning Bridges
  6. Child of the Fifties
  7. Do You Remember These (Part 1: Tompkins)
  8. Every Time I Trust a Gal (Part 2: Teaspoon)
  9. Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings (Part 2: Lou)
  10. Got Leavin' on Her Mind (Part 2: Rachel)
  11. Hat and Boots (Part 1: Cody)
  12. Have a Little Faith (Part 1: Emma)
  13. I Was There (Part 2: Sam)
  14. I'd Rather Be Sorry (Part 1: Buck)
  15. If It Makes Any Difference (Part 1: Ike)
  16. It Should Have Been Me (Part 1: Jimmy)
  17. I've Had a Good Time (Part 1: Rachel)
  18. Making Memories
  19. My Past Is Looking Brighter (All the Time) (Part 2: Jimmy)
  20. No One Will Ever Know (Part 2: Kid)
  21. She's Too Good (Part 1: Kid)
  22. Thank You World
  23. The Dreamer
  24. There's a Man in There (Part 2: Emma)
  25. This Ole House (Part 3: Kid)
  26. Too Late for Roses
  27. Too Many Rivers
  28. We Owe It All to Yesterday
  29. What Do I Care (Part 2: Cody)
  30. When I Stop Dreaming
  31. Woman Without a Home
  32. You Just Haven't Done It Yet
  33. You'll Be Back (Every Night in My Dreams)