By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

This weekend my husband Rev. Vic Fuhrman and I attended Book Expo America (BEA) in New York City and completely immersed ourselves in the publishing world for three full days. Wowsa. It was fun. I have books published with four different publishers, so it was nice to visit them all.

One of my greatest surprises was to happen upon the booth for Skylight Paths Publishing and Jewish Lights Publishing. I have a number of their books on my book shelves, and have heard of so many of them, for some reason I never realized they are from the same publisher.

These interrelated companies produce some of the most extraordinary and soulful books on spirituality and religion and they do so in the true spirit of interfaith. As interfaith ministers, hubby and I truly appreciate the kind of material these folks are bringing to the world. Here are some of the titles we feel are especially helpful couples about to marry in blended-faith unions:

How to Be A Perfect Stranger: The Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook. This is a phenomenal reference book - winner of the Best Reference Book of the Year Award, in fact -- that tips you off to practices and traditions in all faiths. How to Be a Perfect Stranger: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies is also terrific. Both are edited by company founder and president, Stuart M. Matlins along with Arthur J. Magida

Perfect Stranger's Guide to Wedding Ceremonies: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religions is also edited by Stuart M. Matlins and great guide for anyone going to a wedding based on a different faith or culture, let alone marrying in one.

The Creative Jewish Wedding Book: A Hands On Guide to New and Old Tradions. by Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer. This is helpful, creative and modern; gives a great sense of tradition and how creative you can be. We just added to our library.

They also have a number of special series that share selections and saying from specific faiths, such as The Qur'an and Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. These distill the teachings of important holy books and are great tools for those of us who are not religious scholars, but who want to learn about other faiths.

And the "What You Will See Inside" series that takes you into the worship practices of various faiths, one book at a time, such as What You Will See Inside A Hindu Temple or a Mosque/ Catholic Church/Synagogue.

For all you folks of any faith or background in the market for wedding bling, you have to check out Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love, by Antoinette Matlins. It tells you everything you need to know about purchasing the best wedding jewlery, including: What to look for; what questions to ask; how to protect against the unscrupulous; how to know whether or not you’re getting good value; and how to create a ring that expresses your innermost feelings.

To peruse other titles, go to: www.skylightpaths.com and www.jewishlights.com.