NEW YORK — Author-journalist Joe McGinniss says he was diagnosed in May with advanced prostate cancer but is responding well to treatment and feels "terrific."

The 70-year-old McGinniss is best known for controversial works such as "The Selling of the President" and "Fatal Vision." On Wednesday, he posted on his Facebook page that he had "inoperable, terminal, metastatic prostate cancer." He confirmed the diagnosis in response to an email from The Associated Press and in a subsequent Facebook posting.

McGinniss told the AP that he has no symptoms and is eager to write more books and magazine articles.

McGinniss spent the summer of 2010 in Alaska researching his book "The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin." He lived in a rented house next door to the Palin family but denied Palin accusations that he was spying on them.

McGinniss had been to Alaska before. In November 1975, he arrived in Alaska via ferry. Over the months that followed, he traveled extensively around the state interviewing political leaders and average folk. The resulting book, "Going to Extremes, " which came out in 1980, became a best seller.

The Anchorage Daily News contributed to this article.