Dolly Parton's secret memoir, written before her death in August, 'sells for $13m' after a heated publishers' bidding war

Grand Central Publishing secured the memoir rights after competing publishers backed off when Dolly Parton's literary agency, Folio, disclosed that a rival offer had already reached $12 million. The country music legend died aged 80 in August, having kept work on the book entirely secret; her manager Danny Nozell confirmed she was "working up until the day she died."

At least one insider disputes the $13m figure, claiming the final sum was lower but included an unusually generous 50/50 royalty split for Parton's estate.

The sale comes amid a legal battle between Parton's estate and her nephew Bryan Seaver, who was fired from his head of security role and hit with a restraining order.