Ms. Monaghan has been dealing in antiques for almost 40 years through flea markets, antique malls and, most recently, her own antique store, The Cat's Pajamas, in Vancouver, Washington. She was a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist for many years, focusing mostly on theater and the art world. In addition, she's taught English to immigrant adults, and has also taught children with learning disabilities and autism. Ms. Monaghan enjoyed using that varied background of teaching, writing, and lots of antiques to create an informative, useful, and entertaining guidebook.