While I don't have all the information yet, I've been trying to compare Lulu.com with Amazon's CreateSpace for the Print-On-Demand costs. Apparently a 48 page full color book (softcover) costs $16.38 each book at Lulu, while the same book at CreateSpace is $4.00 - hmmm, not that hard of a decision to make. I still need to see print samples to compare to lulu's print process.

I've discovered that public funds and grants will not available as my project is a commercial one. So it looks like this will probably be completely funded by a Kickstarter project, of which I am fairly certain should be successful. I did get a hold of representative of the Heritage Corridor Society - an organization that promotes visitor projects relating to the Illinois-Michigan Canal historical corridor (which covers Chicago to the canal's terminus in LaSalle County). They may get large format prints of the maps I create as part of a promotion. Many of the funding members in a Kickstarter would probably come from members of that society.

Looking at my current publication development schedule for my Kaidan setting guidebooks which will run into next spring, this means I won't probably officially start this project until that time. Still I am gathering USGS topographical maps for reference and gathering other materials. The process is moving forward.

GP