Jackie Collins, Best-Selling Novelist, Dies at 77

Her family released a statement announcing her death.

The British-born author passed away in Los Angeles.

A family statement said there is tremendous sadness being shared with the loss of their attractive and dynamic mother.

Sister Joan Collins posted a touching tribute to her “best friend” in a tweet which reads ‘Farewell to my handsome fearless baby sister. Her books about the glamorous lives of Hollywood royalty and the super-rich sold more than 500 million copies in more than 40 countries.

“I’ve written five books since the diagnosis, I’ve lived my life, I’ve travelled all over the world”, she told People.

Writer Jackie Collins and actress Joan Collins arrive at the 2009 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter held at the Sunset Tower on February 22, 2009 in West Hollywood, California.

Joan Collins, 82, told People magazine she was “completely devastated” by the loss of her sister.

“Thoughts and prayers go out to her family”.

Ms Collins was also a strong LGBT advocate – saying that many of her novels were inspired by the gay men in her life. She will be missed by her millions of fans around the world.

We’ve all sat and enjoyed the delightful pure escapism that comes when when reading a Jackie Collins novel.

She was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer – meaning it had spread to other parts of the body – six-and-a-half years ago, according to USA celebrity magazine People.

In an interview in 2008, Collins described the book as “way before its time” with its tale of a woman who cheats on her husband and another who likes sex with married men. Kris captioned the snap, ‘I’m so sad to hear about the passing of Jackie Collins…’ and says the ‘amazing woman’ was ‘a joy and an honor to have known’.

But Collins said her life lacked the scandal of her novels.

She had kept her illness a secret from everyone except her closest family members including her three daughters – 54-year-old Tracy, 48-year-old Tiffany and 46-year-old Rory.

People reports that Collins’ treatments over the years included a lumpectomy, radiation and various drug courses and combinations.