Meeting with Self-Publisher

I have kept my monster in the closet long enough and it was time to let it out. I met today with Beaver Pond's Press in Edina, MN, a self-publishing house. One of the reason's that I have decided to self-publish is because I am a control freak! I have a vision for this book, as it has been festering in my mind for years, and I'd like to be sure to manage the look and feel of every element. I learned that the real difference between a royalty publisher and a self-publisher is that I get to keep 100% of the profits. I pay a project management fee of $1400 to BPP, and then I contract with their editors, illustrators and designers and they bid on the job. The biggest surprise of the meeting was learning that sometimes the graphic designer of the book costs as much as illustrator. Who knew?! But if that is the case, how come designers never get any credit in or on the book? Hmmm... I think I have to go to a bookstore and look through a stack of children's picture books and see if I can find any graphic designer credits. I'll report back after my research....