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, September 20, 2019

Sequins and charley horses

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Last night, I had an attack of leg cramps, what some call a charley horse. My left leg cramped and then my right. I laid in bed writhing in ...

Monday, August 26, 2019

Back to School

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In January, I will be starting school again. It is a part time, online MFA program for creative writing, one built for working professionals...

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Thursday, August 22, 2019

A Happy Ending

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When I was little girl, I just wanted a place of my own. Somewhere quiet where there was no screaming. I wanted out of the chaotic house I ...

Monday, August 19, 2019

Put It Together

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How I wish I was put together. I want to have dark, sleek hair. With no grey. With a tight butt and a trim waist and sexy long legs. How doe...

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Yesterday

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Yesterday, I felt something I hadn’t in a while. Joy. I was at work. I was slammed. Running around as usual. Trying to get my paperwork done...

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

A day

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Today is just a day. An ordinary day. My life has a pattern to it at the moment. I get up early between 4-5 am and medicate the dogs. It t...

Friday, August 2, 2019

One

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My shih tzu Chewie is on multiple medications for his heart condition which has worsened recently. One of the medications, a diuretic, is s...

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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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