This manuscript is a collection of short fiction pieces workshopped in creative writing classes throughout my undergraduate and graduate career at Florida Atlantic University, influenced by the experimental and form-driven nature of some of the writing workshops as well as other courses I took during my years at the university. This work is especially preoccupied with the opposed and intertwined natures of genre fiction and literary fiction. Other themes include human nature, humor, food and cooking, tabletop games, and exploration of form in short fiction. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection