Children's Storybooks  

I've visited so many dead children's book threads today so I thought I'd make my own post in an active book community. I love storybooks and I am an illustrator. Right now I am working with a friend who has her own stories, and I am illustrating them for her. It's loads of fun. I illustrate then paint them in watercolors, or colored pencils. We are excited about getting our book published. I really know nothing about the subject other than my own experiences as a child reading stories, and from illustrating them today. So here are some questions I have and for conversation starters. I will share my artwork and links when I have enough posts to do so. I'm still a newbie even though I joined a long time ago.

What advice can people give on getting your story copyrighted and published?
Which is better, to self-publish or go through a publishing company?
What sort of stories do you write, or do your children enjoy the most?
How can one successfully advertise their books?
How do feel about reading your book to children at public shows?
Are you an illustrator as well as an author? Care to share your works?
How do you know what age group you are targeting? (I don't have children of my own.)