Q. The problem is not with the author's personality (or appearance), it's with the readers and critics who pay too much attention to it
A. Of course, people have preferences.
B. What the author accomplishes, or doesn't, outside of the book is fine for the gossip pages,but it doesn't merit mentioning in a book review.
C. What matters is the book, and the book has to stand on its own merit.
D. Focusing on a writer for not "humping his ego” has the same effect as focusing on writerswho are outspoken, or attractive; they're two sides of the same coin.
6. It's perfectly legitimate, and normal, for different people to react differently to an author'swork, but one should remember that reading is a subjective experience