This article isn't a bad place for authors to start if they're considering the self-publishing options:

http://sacramentobookreview.com/viewpoints-weekly-columns/3-15-10-sorting-through-pods/

Malcolm

Thanks Malcolm.

Carol

I guess. I wish people, especially journalists, for crissakes, would get a handle on terms and not refer to companies as "POD's" or "self-publishers", both obviously imprecise and misleading names.

You can get better information than that, including a wider range of publishing options (and linking to forms where people use use those companies discuss them) here;

http://linrobinson.com/linrob.php?catid=30

Good article, Lin, especially:

"A writer, like any other craftsman, should be aware of any and all tools available to him or her, and should familiarize themselves with everything out there and learn a great deal about the tools that he or she feels offer the best chances of working for what they want to accomplish artistically, financially, or socially."

I like that also, Carol.