Elphie, a new prequel novel exploring the childhood of Wicked's Elphaba Thropp, is now on shelves. In an interview with the Today Show, author Gregory Maguire talked about the long line of Elphaba performers and their influence on how he depicts the famed character.

Many scenes of Elphaba's childhood were among the cuts in Maguire’s “hefty brick of manuscript pages” when the book was first published in 1995, he tells USA TODAY. This prequel fills in gaps in Elphaba’s story for fans who have supported "Wicked" for three decades.

The author caught up with PEOPLE about his new book, creating his iconic protagonist and his reaction to the 2024 movie