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.

Friday, June 18, 2021

Concert days

Sometimes, I wonder, what the hell am I thinking? My job is so stressful, and yet, I push myself to do more. More at work, more with my writ...

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Hey Miss DJ

Last night, I played DJ. Before you get too impressed, it was for an audience of two. Two including myself. My husband and I sat in the bac...

Thursday, June 10, 2021

Staying true

It's eleven pm. I can't sleep. Today was a shit day in court. It was traumatizing and sad. Yet, I also know that I'm lucky. Pri...

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Library girl

Looking at a photo of the new Riverside library, I get all teary eyed. I grew up going to the Ontario (California) city library, a library...

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Office space

I am having a hard time. Look, I know I'm lucky to have a job. But this whole "return to the office thing" is difficult. My ro...

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Office day

Today is D day. Back in the office day. Despite the last year, I usually like being in the office. It's been time to get back for a whil...

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Epiphanies and coffee

I need coffee so bad. It's early morning as usual, and I can't sleep. I wish I could sleep all day. Today, I want to sleep and dream...

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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 chapbook, "Portrait of a Deputy Public Defender, or how I became a punk rock lawyer", will be released in Aug 2021 by Bamboo Darts Press. Her YA memoir, "Tales of an Inland Empire Girl", is forthcoming as well. 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, The James Franco Review, As/Us, Lifetime (online), Inlandia, Mutha and Bitch magazine, amongst 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.

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