Jackie Collins Dies at 77 of Breast Cancer

Jackie Collins

Jackie Collins, the beloved best-selling novelist, has died, PEOPLE has exclusively learned.

"It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today," the Collins family tells PEOPLE in a statement.

"She lived a wonderfully full life and was adored by her family, friends and the millions of readers who she has been entertaining for over 4 decades. She was a true inspiration, a trail blazer for women in fiction and a creative force. She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words."

Diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer six-and-a-half years ago, Collins, 77, chose to keep her illness almost entirely to herself, confiding primarily in her three daughters, Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46.

Collins, who sat down with PEOPLE on Sept. 14 at her Beverly Hills home for what would be her last interview, had no regrets about the decision to keep her cancer journey private while she embraced a very full life until her very last days. "Looking back, I'm not sorry about anything I did," she said during the far-ranging interview that saw her spirited, warm and utterly at peace.

"I did it my way, as Frank Sinatra would say. I've written five books since the diagnosis, I've lived my life, I've travelled all over the world, I have not turned down book tours and no one has ever known until now when I feel as though I should come out with it," said Collins, whose treatments over the years included a lumpectomy, radiation and various drug courses and combinations.

"Now I want to save other people's lives."

Jackie Collins

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While Collins was a prolific writer for over four decades – more than 500 million copies of her novels have been sold around the globe and her latest book, The Santangelos hit shelves in June – it was her family, including her sister, actress Joan Collins, brother, Bill, her daughters and six grandchildren that brought her the most pleasure.

"I love being with my family," she said. "I love sitting out by the pool and watching my [grandkids] play."

As for her daughters, she said last week, "I'm so proud of them" and, her voice breaking, Collins added, "I want them to feel secure and I want them to feel whatever happens, I'll always be there."

Jackie Collins

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Memorial services in both the United States and the United Kingdom will be held privately. The Collins family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization (in the U.S.) and Penny Brohn Cancer Care (in the U.K.)



ABOUT HER
Jacqueline Jill "Jackie" Collins OBE (4 October 1937 – 19 September 2015) was an English novelist. She has written a total of 32 novels, all of which have appeared on The New York Times bestsellers list. In total, her books have sold over 500 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. Eight of her novels have been adapted for the screen, either as films or television mini-series. 
         Collins was born in Hampstead, London in 1937, the younger daughter of Elsa Bessant and Joseph William Collins (died 1988), a theatrical agent whose clients included Shirley Bassey, The Beatles and Tom Jones. Collins' South African-born father was Jewish and her British mother was Anglican.  A middle child, Collins has an elder sister, actress Joan Collins (b. 1933) and a younger brother, Bill (b. 1946).
Collins attended Francis Holland School, an independent day school for girls in London. She was expelled from the school at age 15; after which she threw her school uniform into the Thames. For a brief period Jackie also was a stage singer and appeared alongside a very young Des O'Connor when they both featured in the billing for Lonnie Donegan on his UK tour about 1958. During this period she reportedly had a brief affair with Marlon Brando, who was 29 at the time.
Like her sister, Collins began appearing in acting roles in a series of British B movies in the 1950s. She also made appearances in the 1960s ITC television series Danger Man and The Saint before giving up an acting career. Since then, she has played herself in a few television series, including Minder in 1980.




        Collins' first novel, The World Is Full of Married Men, was published in 1968.
Others are:

• The Stud (1969)
• Sunday Simmons & Charlie Brick (later Sinners) (1971)
• Lovehead (later The Love Killers) (1974)
• The World Is Full of Divorced Women (1975)
• Lovers and Gamblers (1977)
• The Bitch (1979)
• Rock Star (1988)
• American Star (1993)
• Thrill! (1998)
• Lovers & Players (2006)
• Married Lovers (2008)
• Poor Little Bitch Girl (2009)—Although one of the novel's main characters originates from the Lucky Santangelo novels, and the core character of the series, Lucky, makes a brief appearance, Poor Little Bitch Girl is not considered part of the series.
• The Power Trip (2012)

Hollywood series

• Hollywood Wives (1983)
• Hollywood Husbands (1986)
• Hollywood Kids (1994)
• Hollywood Wives: The New Generation (2001)
• Hollywood Divorces (2003)

Santangelo novels

• Chances (1981)
• Lucky (1985)
• Lady Boss (1990)
• Vendetta: Lucky's Revenge (1996)
• Dangerous Kiss (1999)
• Drop Dead Beautiful (2007)
• Goddess of Vengeance (2011)
• Confessions of a Wild Child (2013)

Madison Castelli series

• L. A. Connections (serialised novel):
  • Power (1998)
  • Obsession (1998)
  • Murder (1998)
  • Revenge (1998)
• Lethal Seduction (2000)
• Deadly Embrace (2002)

Other

• The Lucky Santangelo Cookbook (2014)

CULLED FROM "THE PEOPLE", WIKI