Life of JEM: My Life In The Inland Empire

A BLOG ABOUT THE ZANY CHILDHOOD AND ADULT ADVENTURES OF A GIRL FROM THE INLAND EMPIRE WHO MOVED OUT OF THE INLAND EMPIRE ONLY TO END UP BACK IN THE INLAND EMPIRE.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Panic then a sigh

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This has been a hard yet joyous month for me. In many ways, this blog is the most intimate of my writings. My books are curated, edited, and...

Friday, September 23, 2022

Breathing Deep

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This morning, I realized I hadn't posted in almost two weeks. There's been a lot going on. In my day job, I may be transferring unit...

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Living the dream

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Thinking about my dad today. About how he is gone except in my memories. I wonder what he would think if he could see me now. Perhaps he mig...

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Cha cha changes

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Things are changing. I knew it. Perhaps I willed it into being and manifested something new. I'll be transferring from my mental health ...

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Today is the day

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Today. The Now. The Present. Big P Present. I've had a lot on my mind. I've been wrestling with some huge issues of who I am profess...

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Dreaming

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"Dreaming is free." Blondie said so and hence, it must be true. Or maybe the only thing dreaming costs is expectation. Hope is use...

Friday, August 19, 2022

Truth be told

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I share a lot on here. I know this. This blog is a little window into my soul. It is a window I've created here. You get a peek. But no ...

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About Me

Juanita E. Mantz (JEM): JEM's life story is the stuff that memoirs are made of. JEM went from punk rock high school dropout to corporate lawyer to rock star deputy public defender and nonfiction writer. JEM's stories, blog and video podcast document her journey so take a look! Her YA memoir, "Tales of an Inland Empire Girl", is available via Los Nietos Press (and through all national retailers). Her book tells the poignant story of her chaotic YA life growing up in the IE. Her chapbook, "Portrait of a Deputy Public Defender, or how I became a punk rock lawyer", was also released in Aug 2021 by Bamboo Darts Press. JEM is married to her wonderful husband Adrian who is a dentist. They have two Shih Tzus, Frodo and Chewbaca (Chewie to his friends). Her work has been published in Aljazeera, The Acentos Review, The Dirty Spoon Radio Hour, Entropy, As/Us, Inlandia, & Mutha magazine, among others. Go to her author website for more info at https://juanitaemantz.com. JEM is in the creative writing MFA low residency program at UNO. She has presented at AWP, Beyond Baroque and the UCR Punk Conference.

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