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, March 30, 2016

In the weeds

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Up. Five a.m. My first thought is that it is cold. Last night, the temperature drooped to a chilly forty degrees. The lack of warmth outside...

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Hourglass musings

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Another gambling den blog post. Don't say it. You know you're thinking it. Doesn't she ever stay home? I'm in Laughlin for...

Friday, February 26, 2016

Reality check

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I thought I was over it. And then I started watching Big Bang Theory, one of my favorite shows. And I cursed aloud. Fuck. Bernadette is preg...

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Ordinary World

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I just read a woman's blog about wanting to have an ordinary and mediocre life. And it made me itch inside. Because I don't know man...

Monday, January 11, 2016

Starman-my tribute to Bowie

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Bowie has always been there for me. Since before I was born. One of my favorite songs, "Space Oddity" was released in 1969. I cam...

Saturday, January 2, 2016

The last leg of the famous inland empire playgirl

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I'm in Vegas to see Morrissey. This is my last day and night here and Morrissey is playing at the Hard Rock tonight. The last five days ...

Friday, December 4, 2015

An IE Girl In Mourning

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I am many things, especially an Inland Empire girl. It is in my blood. I was born in Great Falls, Montana but raised in Ontario and I live...

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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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