It begins with revisions. Once you turn your manuscript over to your editor the editor will read it over and send you a (usually) electronic copy back with his suggested revisions written on it or annotated on it. You incorporate these changes then if there are no more the editor will send your manuscript to the copyeditor. The copyeditor will go over it looking for mistakes in grammar spelling punctuation and inconsistencies in the (you describe the character as brown-haired in one scene and dark in another). The copy-editor then sends you a (usually) e-copy with all these changes written on it or annotated. If you do not accept a copy-editor suggestion you put STET (let it stand) in the margin next to the suggestion. Sometimes you get a really terrible copyeditor who fancies her to be a better writer than you and rewrites your manuscript. When this happens you must let your editor know immediately italic so you can be assigned someone new. When you have accepted or rejected the copyeditor changes the manuscript goes to the setter who produces a document called the proof copy which is how the book will go to print. The editor sends you a (usually) electronic copy of the proof which is generally in PDF format so if you don want to have to print out the whole damn thing to make your corrections you should get software that allows you to read and change PDF files. I like Foxit which is free. This is your last chance to make corrections before the book goes to print. Sometimes when the book is converted to PDF format bits get lost so it is a good idea to check the proof thoroughly. I once found an entire key paragraph gone plus bits from several more. Your publisher might be looking to promote the book with reviewers and may issue Galley Proofs; these are the uncorrected proofs either put in a buff grey or light blue paper cover with printing on it or in a version of the cover it will have on publication. Your publisher will offer you some of these to send to reviewers you know. For instance your local newspaper or if you are insanely lucky you have a friend who does book reviews for People you have contacts don hoard these things use them. After that the next time you see your book will be the month before it is due to be published when your publisher will send you the number of copies stipulated in your contract. Besides sending them to those horrible relatives who keep telling your parents that your hobby won amount to a hill of beans you might offer copies in a random draw on your webpage your facebook page your twitter account at Goodreads or any place else similar. And of course keep one for yourself.