Horror Fans and Academics (again)

Sorry, I know I've mentioned it on here before, but I just can't get over it. Here's the comparison that I find so funny. Several times in the last few months, I've been surfing the Net, looking for something, and I've come across some zombie-related bit of news or writing, a review, blog, interview, or essay. Often I'll email the author, and just say, "Hey, I saw your article/review/whatever, and I'm interested in zombies too." Now, without fail, if the person is "just" a fan, s/he will write back immediately, and we might even get a nice conversation going. BUT, if the person is an academic - then nothing comes back. Never. Too busy. I'm sorry, but is that hilarious or what? You will notice below that Brian Keene, who is not "only" a zombie fan, but "just" a best-selling author of zombie novels, even took the time to write back and give me a bang-up little endorsement. So, it's not just a matter of the people not writing back because they feel they're way more important than I: I'm sure Brian Keene feels more important than I - because he demonstrably is! Are they too busy? Puh-lease. Again, a best selling novelist works at least as many hours as any professor, and yet finds the time to write. No, the answer has to be in some fundamentally skewed attitude within the academics' self-importance that makes them feel better when they ignore people. (And yes, I totally assume that we do everything we do in order to feel better, at some level.) I'm having a lot of trouble figuring it out, even if I can immediately see the humor of it.