I consider my work to be “lesbian fiction” rather than “fiction with lesbian characters.” The distinction, for me, is between work which comes out of a tradition of lesbian writing and life rather than work which is largely indebted to other literary and cultural traditions. This does not mean, of course, that any piece of my work is influenced by only one tradition.
It also does not mean that I assume readers of my work must know every nuance of the lesbian literary tradition or even identify as lesbians — part of the writer’s work is to create a world in which any reader can participate. Nevertheless, I do think there is a body of work called lesbian fiction. At times, I think my writing seeks to change that body, by including ideas or characters that have not been included, but I always hope my work is part of that amazingly diverse and vibrant body called “lesbian fiction.”
From an interview at Stonewall Inn