This story first appeared in the July 31 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

Universal has been trying to find a way to bring Gregory Maguire's best-selling novel and Broadway hit Wicked to the big screen. Now, rival studios can land their own Maguire property with After Alice, a re-interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. That's just one of two hot novels beginning to make the rounds this week.

Absolutely True Lies (Touchstone) by Rachel Stuhler
Agent: Doug Stewart (Sterling Lord Literistic)

A fledgling entertainment writer assigned to pen a teen pop star's memoir realizes the young celebrity's squeaky-clean image is purely a work of fiction in this summer's must-read by a real-life celebrity ghostwriter.

After Alice (William Morrow) by Gregory Maguire
Agent: Steve Fisher (APA)

The Wicked novelist returns Oct. 27 with a fairy-tale remix about the people Alice left behind and the friend who follows her down the rabbit hole.