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The Story Behind the Story

About the Author

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Doris Rudd Whitfield

Doris Rudd Whitfield is the author of Girtie, a children's book born from a real encounter with a blind Wood Thrush at a Christian retreat in the forests of North Carolina.

Her story carries a simple but powerful message: no matter how broken or frightened we are, love finds a way through. Doris writes for children and the adults who read alongside them.

About Doris Rudd Whitfield

Doris Rudd Whitfield is a woman whose faith runs deep. For over thirty years, she has poured her love for God into poetry, prayers, and dramatic works, including a modern retelling of The Life of Job and a love song to the Lord titled, I Love You More Than Love. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Doris grew up in a Christian household with six siblings, all sharing her profound faith. She comes from a family line of preachers and has embraced her calling as a missionary for Jesus Christ, a role her father, Reverend William Rudd, foretold before she was even born.

In the early 1990s, Doris received her formal missions training through Christians in Action (CIA) in Woodlake, California, under the sponsorship of Galilee Baptist Church and the guidance of Reverend Dr. Eugene Weathers. It was at CIA camp that she deepened her commitment to her faith and formed a life-changing bond with a one-eyed duck named Girtie. Inspired by this unlikely friendship, Doris continues to write life lessons that resonate with children and adults alike.

After more than 40 years of service in both the public and private sectors, Doris retired in the mid-2000s and returned to her studies, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s in Public Administration. Now, as a lifelong learner, she explores emotional intelligence in children and young people, continuing her education through community courses.

Doris finds peace in nature and takes every opportunity to enjoy long walks. She loves reading the Bible, dancing, music, and watching stories that reflect real life on stage or screen. Engaging with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and people of all ages fills her heart with joy, and her curiosity about the aging process inspires her to find new ways to enrich the lives of those around her.

Doris lives in Maryland with her devoted husband, Wayne, her biggest supporter. She looks forward to writing more books that speak to the child-like heart in each of us.

Doris Rudd Whitfield


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The Bird That Changed Everything

During a week-long Christian retreat deep in the North Carolina forest, Doris noticed a small Wood Thrush struggling near the water's edge. The bird β€” later named Girtie β€” was blind, yet somehow surviving. When Doris reached down to help her, Girtie bit her hard and retreated.

That moment stayed with Doris. She saw herself in Girtie's fear, in the way love is sometimes resisted even when it's exactly what we need. Over the following years, that encounter became the heart of her first book.

"She bit me. And I understood β€” we push away the hands that would heal us most." β€” Doris Rudd Whitfield
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North Carolina forest, where Girtie was found

Get Your Copy of Girtie

Available in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover. Perfect for young readers and the adults who love them.