Richard McGuire Knows Fans Want a Drawing When He Signs Their Books

What books are on your night stand?

I’m currently reading “Our Strangers,” by Lydia Davis. I love her work. I saw this in a small bookshop and I read on the jacket that it is only available in bookstores and not on Amazon, which I thought was great. Also on my night stand — “I Heard Her Call My Name,” by Lucy Sante, which I plan to read next. I’m a big fan. Full disclosure: We are friends.

How do you organize your books?

My library consists largely of art monographs, mostly grouped as I feel the works relate and connect to each other. For example, books on Alexander Calder are close to Joan Miró, because they were friends and they influenced each other.

How do you sign books for your fans?

People have come to expect a drawing at these signings, and it can be a little intimidating. I keep thinking that I’ll make a crappy drawing and ruin a book. I tried to find a workaround. At the beginning, I had a series of rubber stamps made that I would print with an ink pad then embellish a bit. At one signing someone insisted that I draw something, so I drew the face of the person asking. I stared at them while I drew without looking down at the page. The result was surprising and funny. It became this shared experience, like a participatory performance. After that, everyone wanted me to do the same thing.

Do you have a favorite book cover?

I love the cover of Rick Rubin’s book, “The Creative Act: A Way of Being.”

Favorite book designer?

Peter Mendelsund is a great book designer. When I was working on “Here” I was stumped on the cover. I didn’t know Peter at the time and I wrote to him cold asking if we could meet. I showed him a dummy of the book and he was so quick and clear about a direction. He said that considering it’s a story of what goes on inside a room, the jacket could be the outside of the house. It was so obvious, I was surprised I hadn’t thought of it myself!

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Favorite graphic novel or novelist?

Olivier Schrauwen deserves a shout-out. He is such an original thinker and damn funny. His new book is called “Sunday.”