Unless you have storage space and are prepared to handle distribution yourself (including drop-shipping and getting it into stores), POD will probably suit your

Unless you have storage space and are prepared to handle distribution yourself (including drop-shipping and getting it into stores), POD will probably suit your needs best. Most POD publishers these days have relationships with retailers (particularly online ones) -- Lightning Source, as was mentioned, is one that serves both self-publishers and smaller presses, and has very legitimate distribution channels (i.e. if you go to your local bookstore and convince them to carry your book, they will do so because they will be able to order it through the traditional publishing catalogs). Editing costs will depend on how far along the book is. If it needs major structural work or substantive editing, expect to pay more; if you just need copyediting, then you will be able to find it on a fairly reasonable hourly basis. (Many "vanity" POD services like Lulu or Xlibris offer editing services, but you can also find it through other freelancing sources.) Design and layout are also frequently offered by POD services, and Amazon's CreateSpace has pre-made templates you can use. Kindle/iBooks release as a gauge of interest would depend on your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? If you're looking mostly for tech-savvy early adopters, it's probably useful. If you have a built-in platform already, like Seth Godin, also probably useful. If you are trying to capture a more traditional segment, it may not show you a true indication of potential reach.