The book is a crime drama but it’s also really funny.

Lee Matthew Goldberg – 14 November 2023

The Back Flap

Middle child Aaron Gimmelman watches as his family goes from a mild-mannered reform Jewish clan to having over a million dollars of stolen money stuffed in their RV’s cabinets while being pursued by the FBI and loan sharks. But it wasn’t always like that. His father Barry made a killing as a stockbroker, his mother Judith loved her collection of expensive hats, his older sister Steph was obsessed with pop stars, and little sister Jenny loved her stuffed possum, Seymour.

After losing all their money in the Crash of 1987, the family starts stealing from convenience stores, but when they hit a bank, they realize the talent they possess. The money starts rolling in and brings the family closer together, whereas back at home, no one had any time for bonding due to their busy schedules. But Barry’s desire for more, more, more will take its toll on the Gimmelmans, and Aaron is forced into an impossible choice: turn against his father, or let his family fall apart.

From Jersey, down to an Orthodox Jewish community in Florida where they hide out, and up to California, The Great Gimmelmans goes on a madcap ride through the 1980s. Filled with greed and love and the meaning of religion and tradition until the walls of the RV and the feds start closing in on the family, this thrilling literary tale mixes Michael Chabon and the Coen Brothers with equal parts humor and pathos.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Great Gimmelmans is about a Jewish family in the 1980s, who lose all their money in the Stock Market Crash of ’87 and start robbing banks out of the family’s RV, the only possession of theirs not repossessed.

When did you start writing the book?

2020

How long did it take you to write it?

About 9 months, plus edits up until publication.

Where did you get the idea from?

I had an idea for a long time about a family of bank robbers during the Great Depression, but it just wasn’t clicking. It seemed too depressing to write about. When I switched it to the 1980s when I was kid, the book started soaring.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yeah, halfway through the book, it was March 2020 and really hard to start writing again. Although, then writing became a way to leave the pandemic for a few hours a day, and I’d look forward to heading back to the Gimmelman’s world.

What came easily?

The humor of the characters was the easiest to write. The book is a crime drama but it’s also really funny. The scenes where the family, especially the siblings, are getting along were some of the easiest to write.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

All pretty much fiction, except maybe there’s a shred of me in the main character Aaron. Or at least Aaron is close to how I was at 12. Too smart for his own good.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Oh definitely. I read a book a week on average. Classic authors I’ve been influenced by are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Emily Bronte. For more modern authors, this book was really influenced by John Irving and his whacky characters that are easy to fall in love with.

Do you have a target reader?

I primarily write thrillers, so anyone into a good suspense story. But I also write Young Adult novels and the main character is twelve in the book, so Young Adult readers might be into it too.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I usually let a book marinate in my head for a few months, then when I’m ready and I have a good grasp of the characters, I’ll sit down and outline it with about a paragraph per chapter. I allow myself to veer from the outline, but at least I have a place to start. I usually write in the afternoons, and I write outside in Central Park or another park if the weather is nice.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Yes. My first book wasn’t outlined, and I’ll never do that again. The outline winds up being about 15 or so pages. As I get closer to the end, the wheels start to fly off and I’m not as bound to the outline. On average, the first half pretty much becomes the book.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

Always edit as I go.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, I have a developmental editor I work with who has edited about half of my books. He sees it before my agent.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Sometimes. Usually, it’s movie soundtracks or bands like Bon Iver, Sigur Ros.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes, my agents have handled all of my books.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

My novel The Mentor was with St. Martin’s Press, then we had a hard time selling my next to a big press, so I just went with an indie publisher. I think it depends on the book.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

My publishers have always created the covers, but I’ve had a big input with all of them.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I hired BookSparks for this one to help with publicity.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Know that you will be doing the majority of the publicity for your book. This is true even at big houses unless your book is one of the anointed ones.

About You

Where did you grow up?

NYC

Where do you live now?

NYC

What would you like readers to know about you?

Most of my books are written under my favorite tree in Central Park that provides an equal mix of sun and shade.

What are you working on now?

A novel I recently finished set in the 1930s about the only Jewish man at an ad agency who begins to suspect it’s run by Nazis.

End of Interview:

For more from Lee Matthew Goldberg visit his website and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Get your copy of The Great Gimmelmans from Amazon US or Amazon UK.