Keyhole Conversations is a podcast dedicated to exploring the thoughts, lives, and philosophies of various people. On June 17th of 2025, author and book designer Diana Elizabeth Clarke was invited as a featured guest to appear on the podcast and discuss her process of writing, designing, and publishing the book Under Water: Stories.

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Marcus Swainston, the host of the podcast, encouraged listeners to, "Pick up a book . . . you find it really gets the imagination blossoming."

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This encouragement was continued when Clarke added that there was "no shame in reading slow." She also emphasized how reading collections (either fiction, poetry, or memoir) are great for slow readers as each book "chapter" is a standalone piece. She explained that if a reader needs to take a break from reading the book, when they come back there is no worry of not remembering crucial details as each piece can be read separately and still enjoyed.

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During the podcast episode, Swainston and Clarke discussed various topics from the creative process to the ethics of using AI. Clarke revealed the initial inspiration for her writing, authors she admires, and the approaches she had while developing Under Water: Stories. 

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When asked if she had a personal connection to the stories within Under Water, Clarke referred to the "Afterword" at the end of the book, where she discloses to readers that the writing is autofiction (autobiographical fiction). She explained, "It's fiction based in truth."

 

After revealing the personal struggles Clarke lived through that are shown in the themes in her book,  Swainston added, "A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into your writing on a personal level."