ANCHORAGE, Alaska, United States ? Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin received a $1.25-million advance payment for her upcoming memoir, official records showed Tuesday.

Financial records filed by Republican politician Palin with Alaska's Public Offices Commission listed the payment from publisher HarperCollins as a "retainer for book."

The cash was paid before she formally stepped down as Alaska Governor in July, according to the records, which were reproduced in full by the Anchorage Daily News on its website.

Palin's book "Going Rogue: An American Life" shot to the top of Amazon's bestseller list earlier this month, several weeks ahead of its publication on November 17.

Palin is a darling of the right and is seen as a potential challenger to President Barack Obama in the 2012 White House race.

Palin turned in an uneven performance as vice-presidential candidate on John McCain's losing ticket last year, attracting ridicule for her ignorance about international affairs.

However, her folksy style and strong conservative views have made her a potent figure in the burgeoning anti-Obama opposition movement.