Anh Do's new book, The Littlest Refugee, is published this month and already the comedian is bracing for accusations that he didn't write it.
''I met the Queen last month and had a great little chat,'' Do says. ''Then I got chatting with the Duke of Edinburgh and he asked me, 'So tell me, did you have a ghost writer?' I was shocked.''
The issue of ghostwriting arose in July, when Do's memoir, The Happiest Refugee, was named book of the year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. Do says it is his greatest professional achievement, largely because it compensated for embarrassing memories of growing up as a refugee kid who struggled at school.
The following day, however, it was reported that a ghostwriter had helped with the book.
''People are surprised how much it hurt me actually,'' Do says. ''I kind of walked around for a while feeling like Milli Vanilli.
''I guess it hurts because it took me back to year 1 when I felt like I was the dumb kid. And even after university and success and awards, it surprised me how quickly I was made to feel like that little kid who struggled.''
Less than four months later, Do is pleased but apprehensive about publication of The Littlest Refugee, a children's version of The Happiest Refugee. Again, it tells the story of his family's journey to Australia from war-torn Vietnam, and features poverty, pirates and ''an old wooden fishing boat that stank of fish''.
It also tells of his mother Hien. After arriving in Sydney and having the sewing machines that provided her livelihood stolen, Hien tells Anh, ''We are so lucky to be alive and living in this beautiful country. There are many people much worse off than us.''
This time, however, the book is co-written by Do's wife Suzanne Do, and features illustrations by Bruce Whatley. All profits will go to a Vietnamese shelter for disabled and disadvantaged children.
Up until the ghostwriting controversy, Do was a rarity, a good news refugee story to offset the reports of drowned asylum seekers and political stalemates about offshore processing. After arriving in Sydney in 1980, he was put into a special needs class for reading and writing, but ultimately studied business and law at the University of Technology, Sydney. He has three sons and a successful stand-up and public speaking career. His first book, The Happiest Refugee, has sold 123,000 copies and won half-a-dozen prizes. Russell Crowe has optioned the film rights.
''Many people told me not to call the book '… Refugee' because Aussies won't buy it,'' Do says. ''I told them I have faith in Aussies, and it makes me a proud Aussie to see that the title hasn't hurt the book.''
Then came the ghostwriting revelations, which Do says were thoroughly misleading. He admits journalist Michael Visontay was hired to supply a manuscript (for which he was thanked in the acknowledgements), but says his manuscript was barely used in the published version.
''Allen & Unwin hired a proofreader who discovered less than 10 per cent of the ghostwriter's sentences remain,'' says Do.
''Anh rewrote it from scratch,'' says Jane Palfreyman, Do's publisher at Allen & Unwin. ''They are two completely different documents.''
Visontay says he hasn't analysed the two versions.
''I have not sat down to count how much of my original words or structure were published,'' Visontay says. ''I interviewed Anh over an extended period, carried out independent research, wrote and delivered a completed manuscript, which the publisher told me she was happy with.
''Anh then rewrote the manuscript to give it more of his own voice, which is common in collaborations of this type. I continue to take pride in the book's success.''
Do still calls Visontay a mate, and says he has put the ghostwriting controversy behind him and will continue to pursue writing and comedy.
''I've got another book coming out next year,'' he says. ''J.K. Rowling wrote this one.''
