Any input on getting a book published?

As some of you know, I have a now 7-year old nephew who has been battling brain cancer for the past year. God has touched him in so many ways and his story is extremely uplifting. I have written a book about the first year of his battle and I am wanting to get it into print. Has anyone had any books published and can you offer any advice about the process?

I have no experience whatsoever with that. I once tried writing a play, but I never finished. I had the first act and half the 2nd act down, but never completed the story. I just lost interest. I still have it somewhere.

Well, I have talked with a Print On Demand place called iUniverse and according to the word count I gave the lady, my book is almost 500 pages. For it to be feasible to print, I need to cut it down to less than 200 pages. I really don't want to go with a service like that because you have to pay them to put your book in print and then sell copies to get your money back. I would really like to sell the book and let a traditional publisher put it into print so I don't have to come up with the money to do it.

A first time book deal can be just like the music industry. You might not put up the front money, but they publisher will spend money on advertising, printing, promotions, etc. When the book comes out, you owe them all that money. If they never make that money back, you could still end up owing them.

Self-publishing could be a great way to create some copies, sell them yourself, and use that to help get yourself a book deal. The guy who authored Dinner With A Perfect Stranger did this. He sold it from his garage for a while, and then Starbucks picked them up. Next, he has that book and it's sequel picked up by a Christian book publisher and both have become motion pictures.

Yep I have yet to finish the small autobiographical comedy thing I started over a year ago.
But I would certainly go with the Self-publishing opt (not that I have looked into it at all). If the work cannot create enough buzz on it's own to sell, I expect having a "book deal" with a publisher won't help that much more. And I probably would just loose in the long run. Besides it could take years (maybe decades) to get anyone to back your work.

Nazpastor, I remember that you asked us for prayers for your nephew.
Now I wonder if it's possible to post here for the CHM parts of your book?
I think most of us are interested to read about this tough time for your family when your nephew was so very sick.
It shows how might God is.
He has healed you nephew.

Think about it, it is only an idea.

Currently the book is almost 500 pages. I don't know how I could really post a lot of the book on this site due to file limitations. Just to give you an update on how Ryan is doing, he has been doing very well and he goes to the doctor tomorrow for another follow-up MRI. I am praying that it will not show any bright spots, but we will have to wait and see how things go.