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.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Catch

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One of my favorite songs by the Cure, while I love them all, is a song called “Catch”. The lyrics go like this: Yeah I know who you remin...

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Dystopian Daze

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It’s such a surreal time that it’s almost cliche to say so. Dystopian is a good way to think of it. I had a conversation with a friend the...

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Wishing on a star

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I always loved the Pinocchio cartoon and the idea of wishing on a star. The thought that our dreams and wishes have power is a compelling on...

Saturday, April 4, 2020

JEM has a podcast! All your faves in JEM’s voice!

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Check it out at https://anchor.fm/juanita-e-mantz-pelaez and on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4XiizDZaXIG7DqzzmnbNhr?si=ye98o8...

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Strange daze

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Another series of strange days. Staying at home and connected only by technology, I am grateful that I have my dogs, husband and mother in l...

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

These Times

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There are eerie, strange times. I am coping by losing myself in work (from home) by day and I am managing my nighttime with Netflix and NyQu...

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Friday, March 13, 2020

Transformation

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I am stressed. Worn out. Anxious and depressed. About the virus, my clients, the world, the markets, and my family. Of course, I’m in Vegas....

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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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