Salman Rushdie is engaged on a e book in regards to the assault that robbed him of his proper eye, he mentioned in one among his first public appearances since he was repeatedly stabbed onstage at a literary competition in upstate New York final 12 months.

Talking on the FT Weekend Pageant in Washington on Saturday, the novelist, 75, mentioned he was nonetheless “somewhat overwhelmed up” however “principally tremendous”, practically one 12 months after the try on his life.

Sporting glasses with a darkened proper lens, Rushdie appeared on the occasion by way of video hyperlink.

“I’m not studying as quick as I used to however . . . I’m writing what I feel will likely be a reasonably brief e book about what occurred,” Rushdie mentioned in a wide-ranging dialog that explored lots of the writer’s novels, from Midnight’s Kids to Victory Metropolis, his most up-to-date work which was revealed earlier this 12 months.

Rushdie has for many years confronted persecution for his work and lived beneath risk of dying.

The Satanic Verses, first revealed 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 dying risk, Rushdie went into hiding and lived beneath armed guard.

After the assault final 12 months US secretary of state Antony Blinken accused the Iranian authorities of inciting violence towards 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 in all probability the precise enemies to have.”

When requested what his recommendation can be to younger aspiring writers, Rushdie replied: “I might say, do what it’s important to do and don’t be scared.”

Rushdie has largely been absent from the general public eye within the final 12 months as he recovered from the assault on his life. He made a uncommon in-person look in New York final week to just accept the Centenary Braveness Award from PEN America, the non-profit organisation that advocates for freedom of expression.

“There’s lots of people in quite a lot of methods proper now making an attempt to place fences round what’s OK to do and what’s not OK to do . . . if something goes to result in the dying of the novel, that will likely be it,” Rushdie warned attendees on the FT Pageant on Saturday.

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