Meet Juanita Mantz | Creative nonfiction writer, performer and lawyer/deputy public defender

We had the good fortune of connecting with Juanita Mantz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Juanita, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I am a full-time lawyer and a part time writer, podcaster and performer. I started writing my memoir “Tales of an Inland Empire Girl” over 15 years ago and it took over a decade to finish and more than a few years after that to publication.

I started writing that memoir, which is told in short true stories in present tense scenes to reconcile my dad’s death. It starts with my dad’s death when I am 36 and a corporate lawyer living in San Francisco. It then flashes back to my childhood and ends with the year I dropped out of high school at 17. It’s all about my story of redemption and how I went from a punk rock high school dropout to a USC educated lawyer, but it’s also about coming home. It’s about finding yourself and all about forgiveness and acceptance. I write because I have to tell my stories and wanted to bring my dad back to life at least figuratively.

I also wrote my book for the punks, and for the outsiders to show them that your first act is not your last.

But like I said, I had finished my memoir and was trying to find a publisher and almost gave up. Then I started my Life of JEM podcast and wrote my second book “Portrait of a Deputy Public Defender or how I became a punk rock lawyer” (which was published first ironically enough) during Covid.

Thus, I would say never give up. Never ever. It took me 15 years to get my long memoir published. I had “almost” given up then magic happened. Both my books have won awards, and I’ve performed my work at theaters and venues all over the state. It’s a dream come true and now I help other writers find readers via my Life of JEM podcast on apple where I interview writers on writing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve learned to visualize what I want to make it come true. I live to write. What I’ve learned along the way is that you’re best when you are uniquely yourself. As JEM, I’m me. I’m authentic and always me. There’s no filter (other than an occasional Insta one lol) and I always try to be honest and vulnerable in both my writing and in my role as an interlocutor/interviewer talking to writers on my podcast. If I’m not open, they won’t be open.

As far as challenges, it was so hard. Damn hard. I thought my writing career would never come to fruition as I was working full time as a lawyer/deputy public defender and still am. But it’s been worth it. Recently I won a California Arts Council grant as an established artist for my writing and podcasting and performing and I was so grateful. I’ve even helped curate events, including a punk rock social justice festival at beyond baroque. I’ve been lucky to have performed at UCR, CSUSB, AWP and many other places and I’ve recently honed my performance side. It’s very important to be be present and in the moment when you’re performing (and podcasting as record live) and true to the work. I try not to get nervous. My goal for performance is to be truthful. The next thing I’m working in is bringing my books to the stage and screen and plan on adapting then myself. I have a draft of a three act play and an outline for a tv series. I also own the rights to my work so now, I just need an agent, but it will happen. I know it will. I can see it in my dreams. I’m such a daydreamer, but a focused daydreamer.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh, I love the LA area that’s closer to the inland empire. One of my favorite cities is Claremont. I love the Back Abbey Belgium bar. There’s many great restaurants and a thriving college and art scene. I also love Boyle Heights and used to have a radio show there. My favorite cities are the little pocket cities in LA such as Alhambra and Monterey Park. And yes, I went to USC Law, but I’m an Inland Empire girl at heart (as my book title “Tales of an Inland Empire Girl” points out), so please keep driving on the 10 freeway and checkout Mitlas restaurant in San Bernardino and the Cheech museum in Riverside.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely my publishers. Mark Givens and Dennis Callaci of Bamboo Dart Press, who published my first book about public defense and punk rock and they were so cool and supportive and became my lifelong friends. They’re so punk rock! Creativity at its finest. And then Frank Kerns at Los Nietos Press published my long memoir. He saw me do a reading performance and saw something. I’m eternally grateful to both of these small presses. They made my dreams come true. And of course my husband Adrian who is very supportive and my mom Judy and my late father John William Mantz Jr.. as I say in my book, really, I did it all for him.

Website: https://juanitaemantz.com/

Instagram: @lifeofjem1

Twitter: @lifeofjem

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeOfJem?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-of-jem/id1700562573