Novelist Jackie Collins dies of breast cancer at age 77

LOS ANGELES (WPVI) -- Novelist Jackie Collins died Saturday of breast cancer, according to her family.

She was 77.

Collins' family released the following statement:

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. 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.

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Collins was an author for more than four decades, selling more than 500 million copies of her novels around the world.

Her latest book was released in June.

The Collins family asks, in lieu of flowers, to send donations to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization.