Joan Henrietta Collins is a Golden Globe Award winning British actress and bestselling author.

Joan Collins has also established herself as an author. In addition to her bestselling novels (Prime Time, Love & Desire & Hate, Infamous, Star Quality, Misfortune’s Daughters) she has written lifestyle books (The Joan Collins Beauty Book, My Secrets, My Friends Secrets and Joan’s Way: The Art of Living Well) and memoirs (Past Imperfect, Katy: A Fight for Life and Second Act.)

In September 1991, Joan Collins delivered a 690-page manuscript to Random House. However, the publishing firm later demanded the return of its $1.3 million advance from Collins, claiming she failed to deliver completed books as per her contract. In court, Collins stated that Random House had received her novel, The Ruling Passion, in 1991 plus another novel, Hell Hath No Fury, in September 1992. She also contended that Random House had not provided the editorial assistance she had expected.

The Guinness Book of World Records cites Collins as holding the record for retaining the world’s largest unreturned payment for an unpublished manuscript.