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.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Winter Wondering

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It snowed yesterday. In North San Bernardino. Real snow. About half a foot. It was stunningly beautiful. I took a deep breath and watched th...

Friday, February 24, 2023

Band of misfits

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So I've told you all about my next project. I'm adapting my two books into a show. I knew I wanted this before I ever finished my bo...

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Okay okay okay

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Yesterday was a holiday. I could not relax. I tried. I meditated. Drank tea. Got a massage. Lit a candle. Tried to read a book I'm blurb...

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Clearing out

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I'm working on my podcast studio and office. It's also my closet. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a clotheshorse and a t shirt ho...

Friday, February 17, 2023

Do You Believe In Magic?

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There's a recent "This American Life" discussing whether life is math or magic. I definitely think life is magic. Yes, life i...

Saturday, February 11, 2023

I Will Possess Your Heart

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There's a lyric by Death Cab for Cutie that says, "You gotta spend some time love, you gotta spend some time with me..." That...

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Place and space

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I've been thinking a lot about my creative writing places and spaces. I write this blog. I write essays and articles for literary journa...

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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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