Mick O’Donnell
Moments in Time
2023
Michiel McGlynn is a restless youth. Growing up in Toowoomba the early 1900s with his Irish parents and his beloved Maddie, he records the emotions of his life’s journey in a series of exercise books – the drama of boarding school, the confronting action in WW1 campaigns, his recovery from serious wounds, the strange confidences with an elderly Jesuit, and the undercover exploits in Holland with the delightful and beautiful Dieneke. Many years later, Maddie rereads the exercise books to uncover some of the mysteries encountered with those he journeyed with. In the service of his country, Michiel accepts a promotion and an assignment in an intelligence network. Maddie knows that Michiel is a hero, but she and others believe that he knew too much, became a marked man and was silenced, killed just months before the end of the war on 10 October 1918. Moments in Time takes the reader through four generations of the McGlynn family, all become influenced by Michiel’s secrets. The generations that follow Michiel could now be in danger from a mysterious secret alliance that continues to exert its influence over world affairs.
About the Author
Mick O’Donnell grew up in Maitland N.S.W. He served in radio communications with the Royal Australian Navy for 20 years, including 2 years at the Naval Communications base on Manus Island, on RAN ships during the Borneo confrontation and in supervisory roles during the Vietnam conflict.
He worked with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) initially in the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (BCI) from 1985 as the Head of Information Data Services (IDS). He traveled extensively with the AFP, and between 2004 and 2009 he was attached to the International Deployment (ID) group on numerous peacekeeping missions throughout the Pacific and South Asia. Mick studied creative writing at the University of Canberra, Australia. He was awarded a Bachelor of Theology from the Sydney College of Divinity, and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from the ACU. He lives in Canberra.
