Blood marred the pure snow, sparkling in cold sunlight. I lay on icy ground, sobbing by the remains of the little goat. My love had not been enough to save her. "I can`t do this alone anymore," I cried into the silence.

I was a lone human amongst the other animals, each of whom I had rescued from unspeakable horrors. Alone, I cared for them and alone I loved them fiercely, completely. But, just as they needed others like them, I needed humans. So, I began to pour my heart out to a digital world, sharing the joys and heartbreaks of sanctuary life. In the process, I made a discovery. People read my stories. And they fell in love with the animals.

Six years and only 41 blog posts later, these little stories enjoy 20,000 subscribers from over 100 countries and every continent. And, much to my joy and astonishment, readers care deeply about the beloveds whose stories I share. And here`s an interesting detail: most new readers are not vegan. They find the stories through their love of reading. I get notes from readers all the time, telling me that these stories have inspired them to go vegan!

Storytelling can be a powerful form of advocacy. In this heartfelt talk, we will explore how to tell a story that captures the mind and changes behavior. We will review recent neurological research on how the brain reacts to a compelling story. We will discuss the importance of self-revelation, opening up to share our own experiences and writing in an intimate voice to connect with readers. We will gather courage to leverage the power of storytelling and compelling imagery to:

• Connect with readers on a deep emotional level
• Garner support
• Inspire behavior change
• Engage readers