Goodbye, Jackie Collins

She passed away on Saturday after a 6-year struggle with breast cancer. Like Joan Rivers, it’s hard to imagine no more Jackie Collins in this world. When I was first developing as a writer, my favorite was Judith Krantz, but I learned a lot from Jackie. In particular, I first learned POV switching from chapter to chapter via HOLLYWOOD HUSBANDS.

Jackie was an irreverent, big-hearted, ambitious woman, and I remember seeing her at dinner in Hollywood, years ago. Across the room at a primo table, she was surrounded by powerful captains of industry, and it was Jackie who held court, no one else. Before women were supposed to be strong, Jackie understood power, how to get it, and how to use it. She led a charmed life, and wrote novels that millions relished. Rest in peace, Jackie darling.