One of Sarah Palin's trusted advisers is planning a tell-all book about the former Republican vice presidential candidate, drawing upon thousands of personal emails.
Frank Bailey rose from a campaign volunteer to administration official and figure in the "Troopergate" scandal that fixated the public's attention during Mrs Palin's White House bid in 2008.
A preliminary draft of the unpublished book, tentatively called Blind Allegiance To Sarah Palin: A Memoir Of Our Tumultuous Years, was leaked to reporters yesterday, with excerpts making the rounds on the internet.
Ken Morris, a California-based writer who worked with Mr Bailey on the manuscript, said the material was preliminary, subject to copyright protection and not authorised for use.
The New York-based Carol Mann Agency, in an email promoting the manuscript, said the "revelations and insights" that Mr Bailey offered "are more necessary than ever, as the public will seek to learn as much as possible about the woman who seems to have her sights set on the national stage".
The agency referred calls to Mr Morris, who said that he, Mr Bailey and co-writer Jeanne Devon did "tons of research" for the book, which still has no publisher. Ms Devon, an Alaska blogger, is a frequent critic of former state governor Mrs Palin.
Mr Morris said he believed the manuscript painted an accurate portrait of Mrs Palin but declined to elaborate. "I think we should leave it at that," he said.
The manuscript, which Mr Morris said is subject to change and "may not materially reflect the eventual product", states that Mrs Palin, before resigning part-way through her first term as Alaska governor, wrote to Mr Bailey and another aide, saying: "I hate this damn job."
It is not Mr Bailey's first attempt at getting published. He has been working on a book since at least 2009, when Mrs Palin resigned. At least one previous effort fizzled. Mr Bailey left state government shortly after Mrs Palin.
Mr Bailey was embroiled in an investigation of Mrs Palin's sacking of her police commissioner over allegations that he would not fire a trooper who had a bitter divorce with Mrs Palin's sister.
Mr Bailey, in a recording made public, questioned a state trooper official about why Mrs Palin's former brother-in-law was still employed.
Once Mrs Palin's friend, Bailey is now among her critics.
"Since leaving the governor's office, Frank has been forced to reconsider his actions on Palin's behalf in terms of his deep Christian faith and his allegiance to her as the standard-bearer for the conservative causes he still champions," Ms Mann wrote in her email.
Ms Mann also describes the manuscript as "the story of one man's slow drift from his most cherished beliefs and his ultimate redemption".