MEDIA speculation about former treasurer Peter Costello's future has boosted the publicity campaign for his upcoming memoirs, with hardback sales tipped to at least double that of the controversial John Winston Howard biography.

The first print run of Mr Costello's memoirs will be a hardback run of 50,000, at a price of $55, which Melbourne University Press chief executive and publisher Louise Adler is ''very confident'' of selling out.

Behind this confidence has been the free support the book has received from the media, which is waiting to see whether it reveals any of Mr Costello's future intentions.

''The media has been the most wonderful partner,'' Ms Adler said. ''We owe them a great big party, or at least a drink.''

However, Ms Adler was also keen to point out the memoirs were simply ''the story so far'' and would detail Mr Costello's time in politics, his relationship with former prime minister John Howard, and the ''age of enormous prosperity'' while he was treasurer.

''It's a memoir, this isn't an application for a job,'' Ms Adler said.

She said the book would shed light on the Howard-Costello partnership, and there would be a significant parallel with the difficult Bob Hawke-Paul Keating relationship in the 1990s.

Ms Adler oversaw a Hawke biography, for another publisher, which sold 75,000 copies in hardback alone.

However, she said the idea that conservative biographies did not sell as well had been exposed as a ''bookseller prejudice'' after John Winston Howard by Wayne Errington and Peter van Onselen sold 20,000 hardback copies only 2000-3000 sales had been predicted. The hype surrounding the Liberal leadership has failed to diminish after the party held a tribute dinner for Mr Costello on Friday evening. The dinner, before a sold out crowd of 700, featured off-the-cuff speeches from senior party figures, and the federal parliamentary leadership all attended. Sources say the mood inside reflected what the leaders and Mr Costello indicated outside, that the door remained open for a tilt at the leadership.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson, who many MPs want MrCostello to replace, had only added fuel by appearing to say on Friday that he would welcome a leadership change. His office later sought to clarify the comments.

Regardless of whether Mr Costello makes a tilt for the leadership, Ms Adler sees no problems selling the politician as an author.

She has been struck by how warm, entertaining and lively he has been to work with, and how well he connected with the public.

The memoirs will be launched at the National Press Club on September 16.