Sahara Author Recovering After Surgery

Novelist Clive Cussler's campaign against Sahara, the movie based on his best-selling book, has been put on hold while he undergoes heart bypass surgery.

Cussler - who has been waging a public war against Sahara film-makers for almost a year, accusing them of not giving him approval of the script as they'd promised - is currently at home following the operation in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Cussler's actress daughter DAYNA tells website PAGESIX.COM, "He's doing good, he just got home from the hospital, but he's a fighter and all the family is very pleased. But he won't be seeing the movie."

Sahara - which stars Matthew Mcconaughey and PENELOPE CRUZ - currently sits atop the US box office chart after taking $18.5 million (GBP9.7 million) in its first weekend (ends10APR05).