By Jorge Casuso

March 22, 2016 -- In Edan Lepucki's 2014 debut novel, "California," LA has been hit by a series of devastating catastrophes that has erased all power and communications systems and sent survivors scrambling into the wilderness.

Unsure they can make it on their own, survivors Cal and Frida, who is pregnant, head to the nearest settlement and join a paranoid community that holds dark secrets about each other and the past.

Next Tuesday, the Santa Monica Public Library will host a special author talk between Lepucki and Charles Yu, the author of "How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe," at 7 p.m. in the MLK, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The talk is part of the 2016 season of Santa Monica READS, which features Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 post-apocalyptic mystery novel "Station Eleven," the story of a traveling Shakespearean theatre company that roams a devastated world wiped out by a deadly plague "Santa Monica Picks 'Station Eleven' as Choice for READS Series," February 24, 2016).

"In the summer of 2014, two novels from breakout women writers were released within months of each other, and both drew critical and reader acclaim for their fresh, literary takes on the post-apocalyptic genre," Library officials said.

"Station Eleven" would go on to become a finalist for a prestigious National Book Award, and "California" would hit the New York Times bestseller list thanks to an unexpected plug by television host Stephen Colbert that was likened to winning the literary lotto.

Colbert urged his viewers to buy the copies of "California" at Powell's to retaliate against Amazon's decision not to sell titles by its publisher, Hachette, which also publishes the TV host's books.

The initial print run for "California" would soar from 12,000 copies to 60,000 copies, and Lepucki would sign 10,000 copies at Powell's headquarters in three days.

The New York Post would include the book in its list of "29 best books of the summer," and the debut novel would be reviewed in the nation's major papers.

"Lepucki has armed her novel with a stunning twist, and its fallout is thrilling," Sara Sklaroff wrote in the Washington Post. "Beyond that, the book’s critique of our culture’s ridiculous back-to-the-land fantasies is amusing."

The author talk is free and seating is first come, first served.

Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair accessible. For special disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8606 at least one week prior to event.

For more information on Santa Monica READS and other public programs, visit www.smpl.org or contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600.