Sta.sh
Basically, as CVs, when we are giving a DD, we are doing so because we think the image is interesting and well-done and deserves your attention. It may be technically exquisite. It may be technically quite good but exceptionally thought-provoking. It may be exceedingly creative. It may be all of these things! Above all else, it should stand out in some way from others in that medium or gallery.
you and will still occasionally give away freebies. 
inspired -> 
inspired -> 
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Textures :
Rockery 01 by *fuguestock Back road 4 by ~moonshine09-stock Mushrooms by *Love-To-Share-Stock Palolem 3 Goa by ~RixResources RED ROSE STOCK 4 by ~VCRetouching St. Stephen's Blue II by *somadjinn LHP: The Spooky Old Tree by *lindowyn-stock graveyard 2 by ~TooMuchFilth-stock Valencia Biopark 105 by ~thetamar Winter 17 by =SweediesArt Winter 41 by =SweediesArt Winter 35 by =SweediesArt Mountain1 by ~IzzyQueenOfTheFae Winter 53 by =SweediesArt Italian Ruins Stock 2 by ~OpakieStock Landscape Stock 173 by *Colourize-Stock
I don't know if discussing this here will help at all but I do hope at least some stock artists see this.
Ever since I started doing book covers for authors, I have had to consider one more thing to look for in the stock rules, available for commercial use or not. Some stock providers say it is OK, some say you have to ask them first and others don't say anything. In cases of background stock, there is always an option to look for other stock images. When it comes to models, the characters on the covers have to be very precise so finding the right model is very difficult. So once I find the right one, I try to work it with the model as much as I can. In my one year of doing this, I have had several instances where the stock artists never got back to me or did that very late (a month or more). Now you don't expect the client to wait for that long for you so these replies are really no good after so long. I have also had an instance with one of the biggest and best stock providers on dA where I wrote to her at least 10 times both on her dA and facebook and got a couple of replies saying I'll get back to you but she never did.
If you don't allow commercial usage, you can always respond with a no so the artist can start looking elsewhere and not hang around hoping you'll say yes 'soon'. And I'm not even talking about people not being active on dA, I am talking about those who show some or a lot of activity on their accounts. This kind of behavior leads to people not taking their rules seriously or in my case avoiding their stock even for personal work. I really hope dA includes some feature where stock images have a straight no or a straight yes mentioning whatever the stock providers conditions are for commercial use.
If stock providers are reading this, it will be a great help to the entire community of photo-manipulation if they keep a few things in mind:
1. Mention whether you do or don't allow commercial use of your work.
2. If it is 'ask before using' then respond as soon as you can.
3. Mention your terms instead of asking the artist. If you want payment, say it. I like how straightforward stock providers like ~jasonaaronbaca are about the terms. No confusing the artist, straight $20 and other conditions.
4. Check the artist's gallery before responding if you are skeptical about how your image is going to be used. The quality of their work will give you an idea of what your image is getting into.
5. Mention the fastest way to get in touch with you in your rules. If you check your email more often than your dA notes, mention that.
6. Thanks to =Dani-Owergoor for mentioning this. The same thing applies to use outside dA as well. Either mention it is fine to display artwork on FB, personal websites with so and so places or if it is 'ask before uploading' then respond in a timely manner.
I really hope this helps both stock providers and other artists to grow in their fields and also to be a loving community.
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Hope 
Not sure how the law works here but doesn't the original image belong to you in any case unless it is modified to an extent in a photomanipulation or so?
I do manips from time to time and just lately I requested a pic without a watermark. The artist said it would be fine and all but I never got the mail with the pic. Finally I chose another stock to finish my work but this was really annoying. So I pretty understand your "anger".
But I also have to agree with most stockers here: There are times you get a lot of requests from artists here and you answer them in the best way you can. But in the end in my case I can count on my two hands (!!!) how my artists gave me a last feedback if there work really released or what happened to it. And honestly, after some time this list of open requests really makes you tired. So I don't think you can blame stockers who just don't take requests serious any more becuase of this. We put a lot of afford in our photos and even if not all want to see money I think it's just respectful to tell the stock artist even if there will be no commercial use in the end because of I don't know what for reasons.
And there is one thing which may also contributes to this "laziness" to answer. I browse my name from time to time here on dA and - I don't know what was changed lately - but a few days ago I found more than 30 (!!!) artworks using my stock I was never told about. The oldest one being six years old. And those works where not only from artists you think they would never release a book cover or something but also early work from great artists with big audience and lots of commercial use. Honestly, if I see how careless people sometimes treat stock rules I don't wonder why we have this discussion at all. For a stocker it's the greatest payment to see the beautyful works their stocks are used for. And such a bad suprise is more than disencouraging - it makes you want to stop.
I know most people who answered here take stock rules seriously but I think artists should think about following stock rules as well. If stockers gets good feedback they will be more encouraged to answer and makes things possible.
Thank you Rayne for your time to mention this I hope it will make people - both stockers and artists think about a better way to communicate.