Local author's books deal with connections between humans and ducklings, faith and science

Cape Girardeau author Carl Armstrong's website displays a subtitle for his book "Waters of Creativity" that seems to be a theme linking his writings: "Navigating the Straits Between Science and Theology to Find the Source of One's Beginning."

In the first chapter in his book "Of Human Bonding by Ducklings," which discusses the process of ducks' imprinting, Armstrong poses the question, "How did I become who I am? Why am I me?"

Imprinting refers to the rapid learning that occurs during a brief receptive period, typically soon after birth or hatching, and establishes a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object.

Armstrong -- "Grandpa Carl," as he is known to his 14 grandchildren -- shares tales of his experiences raising ducklings in "Of Human Bonding."

The book is fiction and is written on a level for teens, but it has an appeal for adults as well.

Books by author Carl Armstrong. (Glenn Landberg)

Armstrong said the farm he and his wife, Connie, share has spring-fed ponds, and when they were sprucing up the ponds, they realized something was missing.

"Ponds without ducks seem like they are kind of naked," he said.

That was in 2006, and it prompted the purchase of two ducks, which they named Morty and Emily.

After a time, both were taken by predators, and the Armstrongs were left with a clutch of 13 eggs.

Of those, only one hatched, and he was named Morty, after his dad. The couple took the lone duck's survival as a sign to continue raising ducks on their farm, and Morty had an immediate connection with them.

"The first thing he saw was a human, so he thought he was human," Armstrong said.

It wasn't uncommon to find Morty in a shoe, he said.

Morty, a runner duck, was joined by two of another variety, Muscovy ducks, and the Armstrongs have been raising the animals ever since. The current duck population is 12.

Ducks have distinct personalities, Armstrong said, and they can be quite amusing, though usually they do not fly. There are exceptions, he points out.

"If a female doesn't want a male's attention, she'll fly up on a picnic table to give the male the 'I've-got-a-headache' message," he said.

Carl Armstrong's Morty, newly hatched, sits atop his incubator. (Submitted photo)

Armstrong said they realized the importance of keeping the ducks inside at night to avoid predators, and after all these years, the Armstrongs still have Morty, though he has some gray in his feathers.

"Of Human Bonding by Ducklings" is the third of four books Armstrong has published.

His first book, "Waters of Creativity," contains 12 face-to-face debates that depict the differences between people who believe in the Bible and secular skeptics, which he wrote under the pseudonym Mortimer J. Duck and Emily L. Duck, the names of his first two ducks.

His second book, "So, You're a Christian Politician?" is a fictional account of a Christian presidential candidate's encounters with the media.

Armstrong's latest book, "Vagus Nerve Compassion Portal -- The Anatomy of God's Link Within Our Spirit" will be the focus of his book signing from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Riverside Regional Library, 1997 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson.

In this book, Armstrong, a retired chemical engineer, examines the connection between the vagus nerve -- the longest of the 12 cranial nerves that runs from the brain stem to the abdomen -- and its connection to feelings of compassion.

It is something scientists have been studying.

His wife's work in neurosurgery at a St. Louis hospital prompted Armstrong's interest in writing about the topic.

For more information, visit Armstrong's website, watersofcreativity.com.

Armstrong's books are available for $10.99 each plus shipping at Amazon.com, ChristianBooks.com, BooksAMillion.com and Barnes and Noble.