New authors, even those who have deals with major publishers, don't get much marketing support these days for their books. Most of the money for tours and ads goes to the well-established authors, the John Grishams and Stephen Kings and Laura Lippmans.

So it's interesting to see the plans of the international writing team of  Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip, who've written a novel together under the pen name of Michael Stanley.

Both were born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and both are retired professors. Trollip lives part time in Minneapolis; before retiring in 2003, he was director of learning strategies at Capella University here.

Today is the official release date for their book, "A Carrion Death," published by HarperCollins Publishers. It's a murder mystery set in Botswana, and they've sold the rights in several other countries, too.

To promote their book, they're planning a lengthy international tour, on their own dime, to meet with readers and booksellers in several countries. They'll head to London, where the UK edition will be released in early April, then to Paris and Milan, with a return to South Africa in May, for their book's release there.

In a tribute to the high literacy rates (and bookselling tradition) in the Twin Cities, and because of Trollip's Twin Cities connection, they're kicking off their tour with a 7 p.m. signing today at Once Upon A Crime bookstore in south Minneapolis.

In the book, their detective, David "Kubu" Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department , investigates a body found partially devoured by hyenas. Learn more at the book's website.