One Page Salon – hosted by Owen Egerton

It’s Tuesday night, it’s cold, it’s raining, and while I know it’s ill advised I have no choice but to take my scooter (decked in my stylish rain jacket and not-so-stylish motorcycle helmet) to the Whip In so I can finally experience what all my writer friends keep telling me about. Owen Egerton’s One Page Salon, they say, why haven’t you been yet?

I arrive what I think is fifteen minutes early but turns out to be forty-five minutes late. The second speaker’s voice (Robert Cipriano) greets me over the loud speaker before I’m even in the building and he’s done by the time I order my drink.

Dang it. The One Page Salon starts at 7pm, not 8pm. A mistake I won’t be making again, because now it’s standing room only. So I stand, with my glass of Nortico Alarinho (a refreshing and crisp white wine from Portugal, I’d like to add), and listen as Owen engages the crowd in a pulpy choose-your-own-adventure story, the direction of which is determined by applause. It’s a ridiculous treasure hunt through the wilds of Africa written for twelve year old boys sometime in the 50’s, and somehow Owen handles it simultaneously with adult cynicism and childlike wonder. The combination is damn amusing.

Owen leaves the stage and there’s a short break, where the floor clears a bit (but all the chairs remain occupied), and people introduce themselves to strangers, potentially making a new friend or partner in creativity, because yes, there are a LOT of creative people in this room. Though the three creative people who promised to meet me here are nowhere to be found (thanks guys). I’ve been abandoned apparently, but it’s okay. I find a fellow Book People person I haven’t had much of a chance to get to know yet and take the opportunity.

And then Owen’s back on stage introducing the next writer to share his one page. His name is Jay Rosenkrantz and his page is from a steampunk thriller he’s working on. The characters are in a poker game (Rosenkrantz himself used to make a living as a poker player and teacher back in the day), and his prose is quick and clever. Following Jay were Kaci & Roy Danger of The Hideout Theater. They workshopped a sketch for us about their granny’s famous Apple Delights, a “healthy and affordable snack” (that might end up driving their family apart).

Finally, Owen is back for the outtro… we have to finish the choose-your-own-adventure story, which at this point has become a comedic exercise in and of itself. The spirits in the room are high, everyone is having a great time, and it’s not even 9pm yet. It’s entertainment and networking on a school night for a brainy crowd that likes to drink,  but likes creativity even more. Cheers to the One Page Salon!

Owen Egerton hosts the “One Page Salon” at Austin’s iconic Whip In every first Tuesday of the month. It starts at 7pm (not 8pm), and you’ll be seeing me there on the regular.

To find out who’s going to be reading every month, join the One Page Salon Facebook Page or follow Owen Egerton on Twitter @Owen_Egerton (you should do that anyway).