Gregory Maguire received his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Tufts University. His work as a consultant in creative writing for children has taken him to speaking engagements across the United States and abroad. He is the author of the books Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men, which comprise his series called The Wicked Years. The Broadway play, Wicked, is based on his book of the same title. He is a founder and codirector of Children's Literature New England, Incorporated, a non-profit educational charity established in 1987. He has lived abroad in Dublin and London, and now calls Massachusetts his home.