A few lucky writers find their style early in life. This week's guest cut his teeth writing poetry as a kid, and you can tell. His novels reverberate with rhythm and dazzling imagery, as you will hear.

Rahsaan Ali was born at Brooklyn Hospital in 1972 and raised in Saint Albans, Queens before moving to Suffolk, Long Island. His first novel, Nasty, originally titled Selfish Intentions, made Essence's bestsellers list four months in a row. His second novel, Carmello, will be out this June.

Join Rahsaan and Writing Show host Paula B. as we discuss:

* Where he got the idea for Carmello

* How he creates such poetic dialog

* Why he writes in the first person

* Why he uses so many points of view in his writing

* How he likes to surprise readers

* Why he likes to write about lots of characters

* Why we like flawed characters so much

* What sex scenes should do

* How his first experience with a publisher fizzled

* What he thinks of the term "urban fiction"

* Why he writes.

Rahsaan also reads several selections for us.