I think it's a shame that sometimes authors - in the interests of not messing with their "piles of gold" cannot read fanfics nor even accept story ideas - it's something which is harmful to both the authors and the fans, but I understand the restriction.

However, I think that an author can protect their own profitability without shitting on their fans. I've never had nor likely will have an opinion on Gabaldon as an author, and my only opinion on her as a person comes from this post. George R.R. Martin, on the other hand, has lost a reader. I've always heard good things about his work, but his attitude is simply not acceptable.