In September 2007, a new Sedaris collection was announced for publication the following year. The collection's working title was "All the Beauty You Will Ever Need," but Sedaris retitled it "Indefinite Leave to Remain" and finally settled on the title "When You Are Engulfed in Flames". Although at least one news source assumed the book would be fables, Sedaris said in October 2007 that the collection might include a "surprisingly brief story about decision to quit smoking" along with other stories including about chimpanzees at a typing school, and people visiting [him in France.