I'd say just be respectful and don't come off as a lunatic. If they ignore you then leave it at that. If they're successful at all I'm sure they've had plenty of people tell them what their work means. I'm sure they're grateful, but I doubt they respond to everybody.

My favorite author is Cormac McCarthy... I'm pretty sure he would tell me to get fucked if met him and told him what his literature means to me, haha.