Novelist Jackie Collins dies at 77

Best-selling romance novelist Jackie Collins, whose first book was so steamy it was banned in some countries, died of breast cancer in California yesterday, her family said. She was 77.

"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," her family said in a statement, adding that she had battled breast cancer for more than six years.

Her works included "The World is Full of Married Men," "Confessions of a Wild Child," "The Stud" and "Hollywood Wives." The first, released in 1968, stirred up so much outrage that it was banned from bookshelves in South Africa and Australia.

British-born Collins, who started out acting before focusing on writing, and her older sister, actress Joan Collins, famously found great success at trading on the Hollywood early-bad girl mystique they had, both on screen and off.

Jackie Collins wrote a series of novels starring main character Lucky Santangelo and many of her works found their way onto TV screens as movies or miniseries.

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