NEW YORK – “Onyx Storm,” the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ “Empyrean” series, hasn’t even been out for a week and fans already have eyes on the series’ next novel. 

Yarros, on the other hand, isn’t ready to mark the calendar with a release date for Book 4 just yet. 

In a largely spoiler-free conversation with Olympic gymnast (and “Fourth Wing” fan) Laurie Hernandez, Yarros told fans she wants to write in a more “healthy manner” than “Onyx Storm” and its predecessors, which means more time between publication.

It’s been a busy week for Yarros and the romantasy fandom. 

The celebration of “Onyx Storm” kicked off with nationwide midnight release parties Monday night, with Yarros appearing at one in Los Angeles. Readers lined up for hours to secure Target’s coveted deluxe edition and took personal days from work to read. Now, on Friday, Yarros headed to the other side of the country to see fans.

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“Show of hands, who stayed up and read it?” Yarros asked a sold-out crowd at The Town Hall, which seats 1,500. More than half raised their hands.

Yarros will write contemporary romance next, stop being a ‘people pleaser’

When asked about how she prioritizes her mental health under the stress of big deadlines, Yarros said for two and a half years she didn’t. But the sudden fame of “Fourth Wing” taught her how to say no “with my full chest.” 

“I drove myself into the ground,” she said, writing for 12-15 hours a day. “When something this big happens, you get put on this train and there’s no stopping the train because everyone wants more on this train and the only way to stop it and really prioritize yourself is to not start.” 

Yarros, like her character Violet, has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. In an interview with Elle Magazine just before the release of “Onyx Storm,” Yarros said the writing and touring “drove (her) body to a place that was untenable.” Now, she’s learned to tune out the world (“As much as I love you guys, I kinda pretend you don’t exist,” she told fans) so that she doesn’t feel pressure to answer to anyone but her imagination.

“Right now, I’m going to work on a contemporary book and give myself time to make sure that the ideas are natural for ‘Empyrean,’” she said at Friday’s event. 

Yarros already knows how the ‘Empyrean’ series ends

But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been thinking about it. 

Her famous inspiration playlist is already in the works for Book 4, but she was unflinchingly tight-lipped about what tracks make it on the playlist. 

“It would spoil Book 3 if I told you the first song on it!” she told a crowd of pleading fans who asked for a reveal, holding strong on her promise not to spoil for those who hadn’t read yet. 

She also said she knows the last scene of Book 5, slated to be “Empyrean’s” finale. Yarros has the final two books plotted because of the series’ upcoming TV series adaptation by Amazon MGM Studios, produced by Michael B. Jordan’s production company.

And if you don’t believe just how deep her plot outlines run, she had another example to drop for fans. Cue the overwhelming gasp: Yarros knew Liam was going to die the moment she introduced him in “Fourth Wing” because he was a “perfect character” with no room to grow. 

“Damn you, that makes sense!” a reader shouted from the orchestra section.

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Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, check out her recent articles or tell her what you’re reading at [email protected].