ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Gregory Maguire absently cleans his glasses with his tie as he talks about pushing someone down the stairs.



"I use children's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers," Gregory Maguire says.



"I wonder if you've ever stood at the top of the stairs behind someone who's really annoying and just imagined putting your foot out and planting your boot in somebody's objectionable behind?" he asks. "You know, I think that thought is a fairly common human thought."



Maybe for the author of "Wicked," who looks more like a college English professor than someone who spends his days writing about the world of Oz. Maguire often imagines evil, and how those without self-control respond to it.



Maguire's "Wicked" series puts a spin on the classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" tale, bringing in corruption, political prisoners and war. His first book, "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies, and the musical based on the book reportedly has been seen by more than 3.75 million people in New York alone. National tours have been huge successes.



Maguire's newest book in the series, "A Lion Among Men," tells the story of the Cowardly Lion -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked."  Watch Maguire roar about "Lion" »



CNN talked to Maguire about the book's main character, his life before "Wicked" and why he has never written realistic adult fiction. The following is an edited version of that interview:



CNN: To someone who's never read your books before, how would you describe your style?



Gregory Maguire: I would describe [my books] as being, not quite allegories, but commentaries on contemporary society -- and indeed politics to some extent -- enshrouded in, and disguised by, the guise of children's stories.



In other words, I use children's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers who say this is going to be easy ... and it's going to be fun. And indeed I hope it is fun. But once I get people involved in the plot, I hope to also communicate some of the questions I have about the way we live our lives in the 21st century.



CNN: Talk to me about Brrr. What's his personality like? What is he going through?



Maguire: Well, Brrr is the name that I've given to the cowardly lion who is the main character -- the protagonist -- in this novel called "A Lion Among Men." And I gave him that name for two reasons: One, because it does sound like a shiver, and he is always slightly spooked by the world; and the second reason, because the two letters in it B-r-r-r are both letters from the name of Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion so famously in the 1939 MGM film.



His character arises in the hollow space in our perceptions between that giant roaring lion at the MGM logo ... the ideal lion, and the kind of sad, sacked, out of work, vaudeville performer in lion pajamas that we see when Dorothy actually runs into the lion on the Yellow Brick Road.



In other words, there's a huge disconnect between the image we project of ourselves -- the best we might ever hope to possibly be -- and the way we feel about ourselves at our absolute worst -- when we're the most down in the dumps. There's a huge space in between there. So the novel's really in some ways about character and taking control of the destiny of your own character.



CNN: Everyone knows of your success with "Wicked" -- it's huge. But what was your life like before you wrote that book?



Maguire: I had written children's books for 14 years before I published "Wicked." And none of them were poorly reviewed, and none of them sold enough for me to be able to buy a bed.
What is "A Lion Among Men," about? What did Maguire write for 14 years? How many Maguire books of Wicked has he sold? How long has Maguire been writing childrens's books? What is the name of Gregory's new book? How many years did Maguire write children's books? How many copies has "Wicked" sold? How many times did the novel 'Wicked' sell? What is Gregory Maguire's new book about?
-- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked." children's books 2.5 million copies, 14 years "A Lion Among Men," 14 2.5 million "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies, tells the story of the Cowardly Lion
question: What is "A Lion Among Men," about?, answer: -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked." | question: What did Maguire write for 14 years?, answer: children's books | question: How many Maguire books of Wicked has he sold?, answer: 2.5 million copies, | question: How long has Maguire been writing childrens's books?, answer: 14 years | question: What is the name of Gregory's new book?, answer: "A Lion Among Men," | question: How many years did Maguire write children's books?, answer: 14 | question: How many copies has "Wicked" sold?, answer: 2.5 million | question: How many times did the novel 'Wicked' sell?, answer: "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies, | question: What is Gregory Maguire's new book about?, answer: tells the story of the Cowardly Lion