Local Authors: Meet Sally Denton

Local Author Sally Denton Boulder City, Nevada

It has been a while since we had one of our Local Authors features. But today we’re talking to someone a lot of you may already know – local Award Winning Author Sally Denton. In case you’ve missed previous articles, we’ve learned that there are nearly two dozen authors locally here in town. But, there doesn’t really seem to be a way to easily find the books they’ve written or any local source for them to promote their work. We created this series to share the authors stories and to let all of you – prospective readers – get to hear about their works. (If you’ve missed our previous columns, we’ve got links for you at the bottom of this page.)

Please share a short bio to introduce yourself.

I am an investigative reporter, author, and historian, and I have written eight books of narrative nonfiction.  The subjects range from a drug conspiracy in Kentucky, to organized crime in Las Vegas, to a massacre in Utah, to a biography of my great great grandmother who was a Mormon convert, to an investigative history of the Bechtel corporation.

Please tell us about the book(s) you’ve written and a short synopsis.

The titles are: 

  • The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs, and Murder. 
  • The Money and the Power: The Making of Las Vegas and Its Hold on America. 
  • American Massacre: The Tragedy At Mountain Meadows.
  • Faith and Betrayal: A Pioneer Woman’s Passage in the American West.
  • Passion and Principle: Jessie and John Fremont and the Shaping of America.
  • The Pink Lady: The Many Lives of Helen Gahagan Douglas.
  • The Plots Against the President: FDR, a Nation in Crisis, and the Rise of the American Right.
  • The Profiteers: Bechtel and the Men Who Built the World.

You can see all of her published works, and order them on Amazon, HERE.

What inspired you to write them?

I have been a professional writer and reporter for all of my adult life, and each of my books has grown out of a story that interested me.

What do you hope your readers experience or learn from reading your work?

I have an extensive background in journalism and I tend to write histories about subjects that often go unreported or neglected.

When and how did you publish it?

All of my books have been published my major New York trade publishers, including Doubleday, Alfred A. Knopf, Bloomsbury, and Simon and Schuster.

What events in your life contributed to your becoming an author?

My early years as a news reporter.

Did you take any formal or informal classes or seminars in writing? What would you say to other would-be authors about the process of writing?

I graduated from college with a degree in English Literature.  I did not take any writing courses, and feel that subjects such as history and sociology and political science contribute to an overall sense of understanding of the world.  I believe that the best way to learn to write is to be a keen observer and a voracious reader of good writing.

How long have you lived in Boulder City? What do you like most about living here?

I have lived in Boulder City since 1959, where my parents moved when I was five years old.  I left after graduating from high school in 1970, and have spent many years in Washington, DC and Santa Fe, New Mexico, but have returned in recent years to be near my mother, Sara Denton, who is still living in the family home on Denver Street.  I love Boulder City for its small town feel, generosity of spirit, temperate weather (most of the year), and spectacular sunsets.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this visit with Sally! If you’ve missed any of our other interviews in this series, you can see all of these authors stories here:

  1. Meet Carl Raines
  2. Meet Angela Smith
  3. Meet Dale Napier
  4. Meet Stephen Osbourne
  5. Meet Rudi Kraft
  6. Meet Joyce Lewis
  7. Meet Lisa and Matthew
  8. Meet Kristine Sader
  9. Meet Karen Wilkes
  10. Meet Rhonda Gatlin
  11. Meet Denise Ashurst
  12. Meet Erin Eichenberg
  13. Meet Lynn Goya
  14. Meet Tanya Vece

The Current Week’s Happenings

ChevronTanksFanPhoto Boulder City Nevada

Fan Photo: What’s Going on Under There by Andrew Cattoir

It’s not often that we get...[Read more...]

BeerfestCover Boulder City Nevada

Beerfest is Coming to Town on Saturday!

The tenth Beerfest, hosted by...[Read more...]

EasterServices Boulder City Nevada

Local Churches Holy Week Service Schedule

The local churches of Boulder...[Read more...]

Candidate Questions Boulder City, Nevada

Submit Your Questions to the Boulder City Candidates 2024

We’re excited to share that...[Read more...]

AIACover Boulder City Nevada

Boulder City Art Guild Presents Artists In Action

The Boulder City Art Guild is...[Read more...]

Coffee Boulder City Nevada

How Money Works This Saturday

Coffee and Calculations, in...[Read more...]

IPOF Boulder City Nevada

Injured Police Officers Fund to Host Emergency Vehicle Show

The Injured Police Officers Fund...[Read more...]

StrategicPlan Boulder City Nevada

Make Your Voice Heard at Strategic Plan Meetings

The City of Boulder City is in...[Read more...]

Fan Photo by Brok Armantrout in Boulder City, NV

Help Needed to Restore the “BC”

Like most small towns, Boulder...[Read more...]

FlowFest Boulder City Nevada

Flow Fest This Weekend

Boulder City’s own Flow...[Read more...]

CityCouncilCandidates2024 Boulder City Nevada

2024 City Council Candidates Announced

The City of Boulder City...[Read more...]

EasterEggHunt Boulder City Nevada

Easter Egg Hunt on March 23

The Boulder City Parks and...[Read more...]

Mahoney3 Boulder City Nevada

Patrick Mahoney Brings Music and People Together

Patrick Mahoney has become...[Read more...]

Beerfest Giveaway 2023 Boulder City, Nevada

Win 2 VIP Access Tickets to the Boulder City Beerfest 2024

The 10th Boulder City Beerfest ...[Read more...]

LendAHandCover Boulder City Nevada

Lend A Hand Seeks New Logo

The great folks over at Lend A...[Read more...]

View Past Town Happenings