i am thinking of publishing a book and i would like to know what is entailed aside from the obvious?

I once asked an author this same question. They said its best to look into stories similar to your own, and research who published those.

Then contact as many of those publishers as possible. If your lucky you'll get an offer.

Don't think about anything until you write it.

Here are my steps for publishing:

1)Write your book

2)Put it away for two months, don't look at it.

3)Read it

4)EDIT

5)EDIT AGAIN

6)Put it away for a week

7)EDIT.

8)Write and send query letters to agents

9)Wait

10)a) send more queries if those previously sent don't take you on

b)Agent and you will make a deal. Then agent will help prep manuscript to send to a publisher, specifically to an Editor.

11)If B) happens, Editor will read the manuscript(hopefully) and give you a yes, no, or 'maybe if you fix all these wrong things'

Get yourself a Writer's Market to help select the best agent for you and your work, and also use it to find publishers. Good luck!

There's an immense amount of good stuff online, just google 'self publishing book' or 'publishing book'