Meet And Greet With Jackie Collins: Part Two

As Monday’s meet and greet with Jackie Collins continued, the delightful bestselling author shared her observations about life, love and writing.

Jackie happily signed copies of her new novel Poor Little Bitch Girl

“The pleasure you give,” she said intently, “is the pleasure you get and that applies to everything, especially sex.”

Speaking of sex, Jackie noted how it doesn’t sell without a good story and interesting characters. Women in old novels -- confined to sex and cooking -- inspired her from a young age to write strong, powerful female characters free to do whatever they desire.

Her favorite creation? The beloved Lucky Santangelo, who will reappear in the upcoming Goddess of Vengeance.

“She’s so strong. Women love her, she’s like a female James Bond,” she said.

Jackie’s passion for the craft of writing, and for having her finger on the pop culture pulse is reflected in how she approaches her work. She writes longhand in leatherbound volumes, a practice she’s maintained with all 26 of her books. And, she keeps her stories fresh by submitting them months -- instead of a year -- ahead and doing all of the editing herself.

“If I fail, I want to fail on my mistakes, not somebody else’s.”

Jackie’s recipe for success has added up to sales of 400 million copies in more than 40 countries. How does she define success?

“Success,” she said wryly, “means I can call up Mr. Chow’s in Beverly Hills and get a table on a moment’s notice.”

For the chance to share a meal with Jackie, head on over to her website for details about an exciting new contest. If you win, you'll enjoy every minute -- literary stars don’t come any more gracious or enchanting than Miss Collins.