FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Toronto, ON, Tuesday, June 24, 2025 — A harrowing journey across continents. A love story torn apart by revolution. A family’s fight for survival in a new land. Author and former Canadian journalist Boni Wagner-Stafford is set to release her deeply personal and historically rich debut novel, Nothing But White Ash, a powerful family saga inspired by the true story of her grandfather’s flight from Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution.
Set against the backdrop of one of the twentieth century’s most turbulent periods, Nothing But White Ash traces the path of Florian Wagner, a young man born into the ethnic German colonies along the Volga River. When the Russian Revolution explodes into violence and famine, Florian is forced to flee his homeland—leaving behind everything he knows, including the woman he loves.
From the burning steppes of Russia to the icy prairies of Saskatchewan, Florian fights to build a new life in Canada. But ghosts from the past—secrets, betrayals, and profound loss—threaten to destroy his fragile peace. Spanning multiple generations and decades, this sweeping novel explores themes of immigration, resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds of family.
“This story has lived inside me for decades and it took me twelve years to complete,” says Wagner-Stafford. “It’s a tribute to my grandfather and to the thousands of Volga Germans whose stories remain largely erased from the historical record.”
NOTHING BUT WHITE ASH: KEY DETAILS
- Genre: Historical Fiction / Family Saga / Biographical Fiction
- Length: ~100,000 words | Print: approx. 300 pages
- Formats: Paperback, eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook (forthcoming)
- ISBNs: 978-1-990688-49-2 (Paperback) 978-1-990688-50-8 (Electronic book), 978-1-990688-51-5 (Audiobook)
- Publisher: Ingenium Books
- Release Date: October 7, 2025
- Preorder: Available now via Amazon and soon via major retailers
- Learn more about Boni and Nothing But White Ash
- Access the media kit for Boni Wagner-Stafford
Praise for NOTHING BUT WHITE ASH
— Advance Reader
“Very moving, very powerful. A stirring trip into the Volga German experience in Russia and Canada.”
—Advance Reader
Nothing But White Ash will appeal to fans of The Nightingale, The Book Thief, and All the Light We Cannot See—readers who seek deeply human stories set against the sweep of history, and those drawn to the little-known yet deeply resonant episodes of the past.
— 30 —
Media inquiries:
Tracy Lamourie, Founder, Managing Director, Senior Publicist , LAMOURIE MEDIA
“Global Award Winning PR – Toronto, Hollywood, the EU & Beyond”
North American East Coast * Toronto: 289-788-5881
*Europe / Mediterranean 356 99496527
lamouriePR@gmail.com
