When I first introduced Kamua Okafor in Shanty Gold, he was a slave boy in the crew cabin. He had been sexually abused by the sailors for years.
After the three crew men raped Mary, I wrote that they threw Kamua on top of her and that he, too, molested her.
My very astute critique group, The Pink Fire Writers, cried “FOUL!”
They said I was eliminating the possibility of an extremely interesting relationship between Mary and Kamua.
I shall be forever grateful to authors Sallie Bissell, Susan Blexrud, and Beth Robrecht of Pink Fire for pointing this plot flaw out to me.
Kamua became a hero of Shanty Gold and Mary’s lifelong soul brother.
Thank you, Pink Fire Writers Group.