An old box of papers, saved for decades and never reopened, is the portal into a story of improbable ocean-crossing romance at the dawn of the internet age. In the late 1990s, Katherine's simple tech support request led to a delightful correspondence with the computer programmer who responded. The box holds printouts of the hundreds of emails they exchanged, the record of blossoming friendship which deepened into love - through the written word alone - and took this neophyte traveler to Europe to meet him in person.

The book opens with recounting the story solely from faded memory. Then, with mysteries to resolve and emotions to confront, Katherine invites readers along as she cracks open the cardboard treasure chest to relive the exhilarating and painful story - in the process making startling discoveries about herself and what she'd misremembered.

Readers of A Confluence of Rivers: A Memoir Through Digital Love Letters will savor its relatable personal narrative, told with unsparing candor and an uplifting touch. The story will engage any reader who enjoys seeing romance unfold or who waxes nostalgic for 1980s and '90s era pop music and technology.

An essayist and music lover living in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Katherine is fascinated by life's lyrical absurdities as well as its patterns and throughlines that connect us as humans. Before beginning work on A Confluence of Rivers: A Memoir Through Digital Love Letters, she wrote essays since 2014 for her blog (ahansenchronicle.com). See her author website at: KatherineSHansen.com.