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, November 5, 2025

Day 50

This post just ran on my new substack about my recovery journey. Please subscribe at: https://substack.com/home/post/p-177961330?fbclid=IwZ...

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Halloween time

It's Halloween time! We started decorating yesterday. It was so lovely and fun. I also went to a party Saturday. I dressed as a Diet Cok...

Friday, October 17, 2025

Tomorrow will it ever come

Tomorrow I'm seeing Morrissey. He's playing in Ontario. Social Distortion is playing with him. I'm hoping everything goes off wi...

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

The mime & me

At the Paris themed party I attended this weekend in Palm Springs, there was a mime. A mime! While in line, I see him and think about David ...

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Happy birthday to me

I am 54 today and up at 4:20 am writing. Who does that on their birthday? Me! I am working on some things. Big things. Wellness things. And ...

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Hear JEM read a story aloud on her podcast!!

JEM reads her most recently published story aloud, a story appearing in the upcoming Flowersong Press anthology "The White Picket Fence...

Saturday, September 27, 2025

A new Life of JEM writers on writing podcast is up!

If you're a fan of her writing and blog, you will love the podcast where JEM has conversations with some of her favorite writers! Always...

View web version

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.

View my complete profile

Powered by Blogger.