Salman Rushdie is engaged on a e book in regards to the assault that robbed him of his proper eye, he stated in one in all his first public appearances since he was repeatedly stabbed onstage at a literary competition in upstate New York final yr.

Talking on the FT Weekend Competition in Washington on Saturday, the novelist, 75, stated he was nonetheless “a little bit overwhelmed up” however “mainly high quality”, almost one yr after the try on his life.

Carrying glasses with a darkened proper lens, Rushdie appeared on the occasion through video hyperlink.

“I’m not studying as quick as I used to however . . . I’m writing what I believe will likely be a reasonably quick e book about what occurred,” Rushdie stated in a wide-ranging dialog that explored most of the creator’s novels, from Midnight’s Youngsters to Victory Metropolis, his most up-to-date work which was printed earlier this yr.

Rushdie has for many years confronted persecution for his work and lived beneath menace of loss of life.

The Satanic Verses, first printed in 1988, generated controversy for the way it depicted the Islamic prophet Mohammed. The e book was banned in Iran and the nation’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie.

Following the loss of life menace, Rushdie went into hiding and lived beneath armed guard.

After the assault final yr US secretary of state Antony Blinken accused the Iranian authorities of inciting violence in opposition to Rushdie and castigated Tehran for “gloat[ing]” in regards to the try on his life.

Rushdie made mild of his critics on Saturday, saying: “If my work has enemies, they’re most likely the correct enemies to have.”

When requested what his recommendation could be to younger aspiring writers, Rushdie replied: “I’d say, do what you must do and don’t be scared.”

Rushdie has largely been absent from the general public eye within the final yr as he recovered from the assault on his life. He made a uncommon in-person look in New York final week to simply accept the Centenary Braveness Award from PEN America, the non-profit organisation that advocates for freedom of expression.

“There’s lots of people in loads of methods proper now attempting to place fences round what’s OK to do and what’s not OK to do . . . if something goes to result in the loss of life of the novel, that will likely be it,” Rushdie warned attendees on the FT Competition on Saturday.

“We’ve to say our reality in our manner and supply it to the world,” he added.