It would be nice if authors could read fan fics for their work but I also understand why it happens in so few cases. I know cleolinda has done a post about it at least once and I think the fantasy author Robin McKinley may have also mentioned it in her blog (http://robinmckinleysblog.com/) at some point, though I can't recall when it was. It's gets to be such a sticky issue when you realize that people thinking about one book (as an example) are likely to have similar ideas, and the potential of having to deal with somebody who says, "I mentioned that idea to the Author, so she needs to pay me royalties." But it is nice when authors are able to say, "Just because I can't know the specifics of your fan fic, doesn't mean you can't have fun with it."

I've seen Martin's books on the shelf but hadn't read any of them. (But that's not surprising; my To Read list is very long. Typed. And single-spaced.) I'm certainly not going to say that Gabaldon is 100% evil--writers have off days, too--but she's definitely lost points with me from this, for her insane logic if nothing else.