Jackie Oh!

In a London department store, at the tender age of 15, the author stumbled upon novelist Jackie Collins at the checkout counter. The image of Collins, dressed in animal print and a tailored jacket, left the young girl awestruck and awash with admiration. This encounter would set the stage for a lifelong fascination with Collins' work and the exploration of her impact on the world of fiction.

Collins, who published her first novel in 1968, was an early architect of the sexual revolution. Her debut book, *The World Is Full of Married Men*, introduced a wronged wife who emerged triumphant, while her second novel, *The Stud*, depicted a trophy wife and her lustful lifestyle. In total, Collins penned 32 books, achieving a record-breaking sales figure of over half a billion units.

The author, having grown up reading Collins' work, gained a skewed view of adulthood, believing it to be a realm filled with gangsters, serial killers, and power-hungry women. Collins' heroine's, such as Lucky Santangelo, strove for equality and power, often defying the societal norms of the time. Despite her books' pulpy nature, Collins' portrayal of the entertainment industry was unparalleled, exposing the seedy underbelly of Hollywood with candor.

Though Collins considered herself more of an observer rather than a participant in the Hollywood lifestyle, her novels captured the essence of the entertainment world during the 1980s. The decade saw a shift towards brasher, dumber, and commercial fare, and Collins provided a much-needed lens onto the industry during its low point. Her writing style was both captivating and provocative, leaving a lasting impression on readers who found themselves drawn to the world she created.