David L. Sloan IV
ABOUT
David L. Sloan IV is an American author, publisher, artist, and producer in Key West, Florida best known for his books about the Florida Keys and work in the paranormal field.
Sloan was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in Dallas, TX. He is named after his great, great, great grandfather whose Union regiment was in charge of Key West during the Civil War.
Sloan moved to Key West in 1996 and married in 2020. Through his tours and events, Sloan actively raises money for local non-profits. He is the president of DLS4 Productions, Inc.
Instagram: @davidlsloan
facebook: @floridakeys
BOOKS
Sloan launched his writing career in 1998. The following year, he founded Phantom Press, Inc. and authored dozens of books about Key West and the Florida Keys, including cookbooks, travel guides, and collections documenting Key West’s haunted history.
Sloan is known for his knowledge of island history and irreverent sense of humor. His columns and articles have been featured locally in The Key West Weekly and Key West Citizen, as well as globally in National Geographic and other publications.
Sloan’s books have sold more than 500,000 copies. His popular titles include The New Key West Bucket List, The Florida Keys Bucket List, Quit Your Job & Move to Key West, The Key West Key Lime Pie Cookbook, and the true paranormal biography of Robert the Doll.
Sloan often works as a consultant for travel shows filming in the Florida Keys. His books are available in stores and shops throughout the Florida Keys and online at Amazon. (Photo: Mike Mongo)
GHOSTS
David Sloan is a pioneer in the paranormal entertainment field. He launched one of the first ghost tours in the United States in Key West, Florida, in 1996 and followed with America’s first commercial ghost hunts a few years later. Sloan helped create ghost tours in Newport, RI; San Juan, PR; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and San Antonio, TX.
During his 25+ years researching the haunted history of the Florida Keys and promoting Key West as a haunted destination, Sloan made groundbreaking discoveries about Robert the Doll, Count von Cosel, and the grave at Captain Tony’s Saloon. His research and writings are used extensively by virtually every ghost tour on the island. Sloan is the author of Ghosts of Key West, Haunted Key West, and Robert the Doll. He is a researcher and panelist on Scared & Alone and has appeared on paranormal programs alongside Jack Osbourne, Aaron Sagers, William Shatner, Rob Riggle, and Robert the Doll.
Sloan owns and operates Ghost Key West / Robert the Doll Experience in Key West, Florida. He is an active member of the Haunted Key West™️ collective. (Photo: Brad Bertelli)
KEY LIME PIE
Sloan landed his first job as a baker in Addison, TX when he was 16. He majored in Hospitality Management at Florida International University and apprenticed under Chef Pascal Ouidin at the Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables, then served as General Manager on Premier Cruise Lines’ Star/Ship Atlantic for several years before moving to Key West.
Sloan started researching the origins of Key lime pie in 1996 and presented a leading theory on the identity of Key lime pie’s mysterious “Aunt Sally.” He co-founded the Key Lime Festival with Marky Pierson in 2014, created world record Key lime pies in Key West, Boston, and Tallahassee, served pie to the governor of Florida, and launched dozens of Key lime pies from the Key West Lighthouse. In 2022, Sloan was an instrumental part of a team that successfully lobbied to make Key lime pie the Official Dessert of Key West and the Florida Keys.
Sloan has appeared as a Key lime pie expert on Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted, Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, The Profit, and in Southern Living, Garden & Gun Magazine, The Telegraph, and NPR. Sloan competed in the Food Network’s Food Challenge and was a judge and contestant at the National Pie Championships.
Sloan is the author of the popular Key West Key Lime Pie Cookbook and Key Lime Pie: An Intriguing History of Key West’s Native Dessert. He coined the phrase “Love & Limes” and still loves to eat Key lime pie. (Photo: Rob O’Neal)