C.G. Rennie 鈥�06: From the Classroom to the Page
C.G. Rennie has spent 15 years nurturing the voices of young writers as a local English and creative writing teacher. But all the while, she鈥檚 been quietly tending to her own. This spring, her debut collection, Aria for a Grasshopper 鈥� a blend of magical realism, autobiographical fiction, and literary short stories 鈥� is finally finding its way into the world.
The book was born out of grief. When Rennie鈥檚 father passed away suddenly in October 2023, she found herself turning to writing not just as an ambition long deferred, but as a way to process an unimaginable loss. 鈥淚t was kind of the kick in the pants I needed, but it was also a way to process it,鈥� she reflects. Reflecting on the stories in her book, she adds, 鈥淕rief is one of those universal things that touches everybody.鈥�
The result is a collection that moves between the deeply personal and the politically resonant. About half the book traces the contours of her grief, with a touch of magical realism that lifts the stories just slightly out of the everyday. The other half casts a wider net, examining what it means to be a woman and a mother navigating a complicated world, drawing on Rennie鈥檚 own experiences as a millennial, an educator, and an activist.
Her literary influences, Gabriel Garc铆a M谩rquez and Margaret Atwood among them, are woven into the fabric of the work. 鈥淚鈥檓 very comfortable with ambiguity as a writer,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut I lay enough there that people can follow. I don鈥檛 want to be so obscure that people are just like, 鈥榳hat is this?鈥欌��
Rennie鈥檚 path to publication traces back through CCC, where she earned her associate degree before transferring to Nazareth College and later earning a Master鈥檚 in Education from Elmira College. She credits CCC with far more than a transcript.
鈥淚 loved my professors and they were so good at having discussion. I have a lot of memories of specific things that specific teachers taught me that I鈥檝e referred back to over the years.鈥� One standout: the wood kiln sessions with ceramics instructor Fred Herbst. 鈥淚t was chilly and cozy, and then seeing everything that came out of the kiln 鈥� I still have pieces on display in my house from that firing.鈥�
She also cites Debbie Beall鈥檚 Introduction to Psychology as transformative, so much so that it led her to declare a psychology major at Nazareth. That foundation in human behavior, she says, now informs everything from her teaching to her parenting to the psychological underpinnings of her writing. 鈥淧sychology is just the study of humans, how we think, how we behave. It鈥檚 been really helpful in all aspects of my life.鈥�
Rennie鈥檚 message to students considering CCC is rooted in her own journey of unexpected discovery. She arrived thinking she鈥檇 be an art major. She left with a new passion for science and psychology that reshaped her entire path.
鈥淔ind what really sets you on fire. CCC is a great opportunity to find those things. Take a little bit of everything, take those electives that give you a broader perspective on education, on the world, and on yourself. And engage with your professors. Get as much out of it as you can.鈥�
The collection is published by Luminary Publishing House and releases April 1, 2026. Aria for a Grasshopper is now available for pre-order now through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and independent booksellers across the country and internationally, including the UK, Australia, Denmark, and Korea.
Alongside the launch, Rennie and Luminary are rolling out a marketing campaign centering women and LGBTQ+ voices, a cause close to her heart. She is also looking forward to connecting with MFA programs and creative writing communities, bringing her work and her perspective as an educator to new audiences. 鈥淎cademia has always been a very comfortable space for me. I want to know everything and experience everything.鈥�
As for the journey itself, she says it鈥檚 felt guided. 鈥淓very step of the way, I鈥檝e just felt his presence,鈥� she says of her late father. 鈥淚t was very kismet.鈥�
