My favorite author and I say this loosely is anything by Heinlein though his 50's/60's stuff is a bit superficial today with our technology but hey... so was the orginal star trek ... heinlein's later works like "Friday" I adore, written when he was like 80 or so; and was one of my coming out books I think ... and then anything with lazarrus long (the books are endless, ... "time enough for love", "the cat who walks through walls" so many to name) .. starship troopers the movie was nothing like the book, nor was puppet masters but some of his works. While I love "Friday" .. "I Will Fear No Evil" may be my favorite book by him also written much later in his life which will have gay and lesbian themes in it and done well I think for a writer of his generation . my copy is dog-eared and missing pages .. I need to get a kindle version of it if available lol.
For lesbian literature Chris Anne Wolfe rocks though she died very young but has a few books out there. Have not read her "Death Sweet Suitor Mine" she wrote as she died its too final for me but anythig else I give a thumbs up to .. Annabelle and I, Bitter Thorns (beauty and the beast retold) - huge thumbs up on that one, then the aggar books think 2 of each.
Jane Fletcher for also lesbian literature rocks in her warriors at think its westernfront series up to 4 books now. She has a more magical series as well like someting and the chalice think 3-4 books, but the warriors one I liked better lol!
I just got done reading "When women were warriors" books 1-3 on kindle) and it was a good read so another to think about though female in sexual content.
Anyway some more ideas for folks depending on what they want but don't discount a lesbian read if you are a guy or vice versa ... Robin Hobb has alot of innuedo in some of the prolly 12, 500+ page books she has done without being explicit especially "the fool's" character in the first series she wrote. its not really gay lit, but ... I felt some things when reading her stuff, and didnt want to put the book down I thnk I am 3 of her novels behind.
Oh and lets not forget "Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins which is a movie now .. there are 3 books and while not 'gay' in nature ... I love that it has a female protagoist through all 3 books. Not sure how this first person writiting will come across on big screne but i do plan to go see the first movie since I have now read all 3 books.
(edit "I will fear no evil" is on kindle and I just bought it so no more dog eared missing paged copy woohoo, off to read it again for the umpteenth time!)