EXCLUSIVE: Dolly Parton's New $13Million Memoir Set to Detail Affair That Almost Ended Her Marriage
Dolly Parton's new memoir set off a bidding war.
Oct. 31 2026, Published 11:00 a.m. ET
Dolly Parton's reported $13million memoir is expected to reignite interest in a devastating affair of the heart that left the country music legend emotionally shattered and threatened the stability of her decades-long marriage, publishing sources have told RadarOnline.com.
The singing icon, who died in August at age 80, is said to have worked secretly on the autobiography before her death.
Grand Central Publishing Wins Bidding War for Secret Posthumous Memoir
Parton's reported $13million posthumous memoir reportedly details emotional affair.
Grand Central Publishing is now understood to have secured the rights to the book for $13million following a fierce bidding war, although the deal remains unconfirmed.
Insiders claim the book's contents include Parton's turbulent time in the early 1980s, when personal heartbreak, serious health problems and mounting professional pressures pushed her into an emotional crisis.
The episode was previously documented in Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters With Dolly Parton, a book collection edited by Randy Schmidt and published in 2017.
Parton described experiencing an "affair of the heart" with an unidentified man while married to Carl Dean, her famously private husband of nearly six decades.
The emotional attachment reportedly ended painfully, leaving the singer devastated during an already difficult period in her career.
Although speculation about the identity of the man involved was rife, Parton never publicly confirmed those suggestions, and the precise nature of the relationship remained unclear.
Industry Insiders Highlight Detailed Personal Disclosures
The manuscript revisits her turbulent 1980s personal heartbreak and career pressures.
A publishing source claimed: "Dolly spent so much of her life making people happy that it was easy to forget she experienced some extraordinarily painful moments behind the scenes. Her marriage to Carl was one of the main defining relationships of her life, but she previously spoke about an emotional attachment to another man that left her absolutely devastated.
"It was a deeply complicated period, and there are still unanswered questions about what happened and how it affected her marriage. Her memoir pages included that chapter of her life in great detail, and those who have read it say it could offer a very different perspective on the woman the public thought it knew."
The insider added: "The level of interest surrounding this book is hardly surprising because Dolly was one of the most recognizable and beloved entertainers in the world. But the reported $13million deal for the book is still an extraordinary sum, even for someone of her stature.
"But it does point to the fact the book is a tell-all and would include all her ups and downs in her marriage.
"People often regarded Dolly and Carl's marriage as this wonderful, enduring Hollywood love story, and in many ways it was. But Dolly did acknowledge she experienced an 'affair of the heart' during her marriage that caused tremendous emotional pain to her and Carl, at a time when she was already dealing with serious pressures in her career and personal life, and publishing sources who have seen her manuscript say it is a central part of the book."
1982 Personal Crisis and Suicidal Thoughts
Her dog Popeye famously interrupted the crisis, prompting her to drop the firearm and pray.
Parton's alleged heartbreak coincided with difficulties surrounding her 1982 film The Best Little W-orehouse in Texas, starring Burt Reynolds, alongside health problems and death threats that disrupted her touring schedule.
The singer-turned-actress subsequently recalled a frightening moment when she contemplated taking her own life while alone in her bedroom.
She said: "I was sitting upstairs in my bedroom one afternoon when I noticed in the nightstand drawer my gun that I keep for burglars."
Parton explained that her dog Popeye unexpectedly interrupted the moment, prompting her to reconsider ending her life.
She said: "The tap-tap-tap of his paws jolted me back to reality. I suddenly froze. I put the gun down. Then I prayed. I kinda believe Popeye was a spiritual messenger from God."
Reflecting on her emotional distress, Parton also said: "I don't think I'd have done it – killed myself – but I can't say for sure."
Record Negotiations Following Carl Dean Death
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Husband of six decades Carl Dean died in March 2025 at 82.
Literary agency Folio is said to have handled negotiations for Parton's posthumous memoir, with competing offers reportedly reaching approximately $12million before Grand Central Publishing apparently emerged with a $13million bid.
Some insiders say the final payment was lower but included a more generous royalty arrangement for Parton's estate.
Parton married Dean in 1966, and their relationship remained a central part of her public story until his death on March 3, 2025, aged 82, in Nashville, after decades of not being photographed or filmed alongside his world-famous wife.
