Ohio. Kentucky. West Virginia. The Tri-State region blends together to create one community, one home, one life.

That is the central theme is at the heart of Tri-State Living, a local lifestyle magazine launching in early October.

Created by Ironton Publications, Inc., this standalone product will not even remotely resemble the newspaper and won’t be inserted into it — although it will be readily available across the region.

It will be free if you want to pick it up or for a subscription rate if you want it delivered.

But before we get to that, it is important to understand how our vision of the region has shaped this product.

The Tri-State possesses a storied history and a bright, exciting future. The area stands out today as a diverse region known for its small-town values and a strong quality of life.

Tri-State Living magazine hopes to celebrate and hold true to these characteristics while embracing the new perspectives, energy and vitality of the 21st century.

Although it will include something that should appeal to everyone, our target demographic is female readers.

The topics are diverse: Dining. Cooking. Shopping. Fashion. Travel. Health. Family. Entertainment.

In short, we are focused on life — all with a local flavor.

Published quarterly, the Fall edition will be out the second week of October. Clocking in at 100 full-color pages filled with local stories, art and advertising, this is not one of those magazines that you will toss aside in two minutes and say there is nothing in it.

Subsequent editions will follow about every three months.

Every issue will have a handful of standing features that we hope will create habits and give readers something to which they can look forward.

Here is an excerpt from the first issue’s letters page that offers some insight into what will be in the magazine:

“Life 101 will always offer a little how-to advice to make your life simpler or more enjoyable.

“Difference Makers will recognize some of the selfless Tri-State residents who go above and beyond to make our region great.

“On the Town offers a little helpful advice on where to go and what to do.

“From the Kitchen will serve up the dish on some of the region’s tasty dining destinations as well as the men and women who give them the local flavor.”

And this is just a small taste of what will be in the magazine each edition.

Although our staff and a variety of talented freelance writers and photographers will produce this magazine, it won’t be The Tribune newspaper.

It won’t look like a newspaper. It won’t feel like a newspaper. It won’t read like a newspaper.

You won’t find any “bad” news here and it will expand our focus well beyond Lawrence County as we try to touch on the things that make our entire region special.

We came up with all sorts of clever names with plays on words and interesting logos. But each one lacked something because, most often, they didn’t tell readers anything.

Finally, we settled on Tri-State Living for a very basic reason: Because it was simple.

It says very plainly what and where the magazine is about.

You will be able to pick up a copy at The Tribune and at doctor’s offices, dentists, restaurants, banks, grocery stores, hotels and public areas across the Tri-State. An exact list will come soon.

When consulted about advice for launching a publication like this, a nationally known expert who calls himself Mr. Magazine succinctly said something along the lines of, “When someone picks up your magazine they should think they have died and gone to Heaven.”

It may have once been West Virginia’s motto but we think “Almost Heaven” is a good way to describe our entire region.

Tri-State Living magazine will bring us closer to that ideal.

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Tribune. To reach him, call (740) 532-1445 ext. 24 or by e-mail at mike.caldwell@irontontribune.com.