Approvals: the author decides what enters the book, and nothing is lost

README.md

@@ -95,6 +95,26 @@ malformed input or internal errors; `check` and `release` remain authoritative.
 The GitHub install works today. The equivalent registry package will be
 `@pickbitsai/weaver` after npm publication.
 
+## Approving changes
+
+The author decides what enters the book. AI scene edits stay pending until the
+author approves them, and only one chapter is approved or rejected at a time:
+
+```bash
+npx weaver changes --root ./my-book
+npx weaver approve --chapter 1 --note "Opening pass" --root ./my-book
+npx weaver reject --chapter 1 --root ./my-book
+npx weaver undo --root ./my-book
+npx weaver history --root ./my-book
+```
+
+`changes` shows the scenes, word changes, and style findings waiting for the
+author. `approve` saves an approval as a Git commit, while `reject` saves the
+rejected text under `.weaver/rejected/` before restoring the last approved
+text. `undo` creates a Git revert, so history is never rewritten. Rejected
+copies are kept on disk and ignored by Git; `history` shows approvals and
+undos. Nothing is ever silently discarded.
+
 ## Keep narrative state current
 
 After writing or revising a scene, update its corresponding
@@ -120,6 +140,11 @@ Re-derive them in order before accepting state again.
 | `status` | Summarize manuscript hash, words, scenes, and state freshness |
 | `check` | Run project, critical-path, repetition, and state gates |
 | `rules` | Run deterministic style rules (`--scene`, `--json` supported) |
+| `changes` | Show pending scene edits grouped by chapter (`--json` supported) |
+| `approve` | Save one chapter's pending edits as an approval |
+| `reject` | Save and restore one chapter's pending edits |
+| `undo` | Revert the most recent approval with a new Git commit |
+| `history` | Show approvals and undos (`--json` supported) |
 | `hooks install` | Install or merge Claude Code scene-edit hooks |
 | `state:status` | Show current and stale derived-state records |
 | `state:accept` | Stamp reviewed narrative state through a scene |

docs/WORKFLOW.md

@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ chapter and scene counts, POV decisions, and scene word counts. Imported books
 begin with missing or stale narrative state by design; `check` reports that
 state but does not fail on it until the project's state workflow is bootstrapped.
 
+The repair path uses the same author approval boundary: imported or AI-edited
+scene changes appear in `weaver changes`, and the author approves or rejects
+one chapter at a time before continuing to state review and export.
+
 ## 1. Lock the architecture
 
 Before drafting, define the ending, scene-level beat map, reveal/reframe ledger,
@@ -87,7 +91,23 @@ Revise until continuity is clear, style drift is resolved or accepted, and the
 critic passes. Major structural changes remain human-gated.
 The reviewer prompts live under `prompts/reviewers/`.
 
-## 5. Update derived state
+## 5. Approve or reject the chapter
+
+The author controls when AI edits enter the book. Inspect pending scene edits
+with `weaver changes --root ./my-book`. Work on one chapter at a time:
+
+```bash
+weaver approve --chapter 1 --note "Reviewed opening" --root ./my-book
+```
+
+Approval creates a Git snapshot and refreshes each changed scene's derived word
+footer. If the author does not want the edits, use
+`weaver reject --chapter 1 --root ./my-book`; Weaver saves the rejected files
+under `.weaver/rejected/` and restores the last approved text. Rejected copies
+stay on disk and are ignored by Git. `weaver undo` creates a new revert commit,
+and `weaver history` lists approvals and undos. Nothing is silently lost.
+
+## 6. Update derived state
 
 Update only what changed in `narrative-state/<scene-id>.md` and the cumulative
 reader ledger. Then accept reviewed state:
@@ -99,7 +119,7 @@ weaver state:accept --root ./my-book --through 1-1
 If an early scene is revised later, re-derive every stale scene in order.
 `prompts/state-extractor.md` defines the generic delta format.
 
-## 6. Verify and release
+## 7. Verify and release
 
 ```bash
 weaver check --root ./my-book

engine/doctor.mjs

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { dirname, isAbsolute, join, relative, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { compareIntegrity } from "./integrity.mjs";
 import { GENERATOR } from "./identity.mjs";
+import { WEAVER_HOOK_COMMANDS } from "./hooks.mjs";
 
 const PACKAGE_ROOT = resolve(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
 
@@ -58,6 +59,20 @@ const FINDINGS = {
     title: "Command-running AI host",
     why: "PickBits Weaver runs with an AI that can run commands, such as Claude Code. Chat-only AIs (web chat windows) are not supported.",
     fix: "Use an AI that can run commands, such as Claude Code."
+  },
+  hooksInstalled: {
+    id: "hooks-installed",
+    problem: "Weaver's Claude Code hooks are not installed",
+    title: "Claude Code hooks installed",
+    why: "Without Weaver's hooks, AI scene edits are not protected by the chapter and style checks.",
+    fix: "Run `weaver hooks install` from the book folder."
+  },
+  hooksRunnable: {
+    id: "hooks-runnable",
+    problem: "Weaver's Claude Code hooks cannot run from this book folder",
+    title: "Claude Code hooks can run",
+    why: "Claude Code runs the hooks from the book folder, so Weaver must be installed there.",
+    fix: "Install Weaver in the book folder with npm."
   }
 };
 
@@ -114,6 +129,34 @@ function copiedWeaverEngine(bookRoot) {
   return walk(bookRoot);
 }
 
+function hookEntryInstalled(entries, command) {
+  return Array.isArray(entries) && entries.some((entry) => entry?.matcher === WEAVER_HOOK_COMMANDS.matcher
+    && Array.isArray(entry.hooks)
+    && entry.hooks.some((hook) => hook?.type === "command" && hook.command === command));
+}
+
+function hooksInstalled(bookRoot) {
+  try {
+    const settings = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(bookRoot, ".claude", "settings.json"), "utf8"));
+    return Boolean(settings && typeof settings === "object" && !Array.isArray(settings)
+      && hookEntryInstalled(settings.hooks?.PreToolUse, WEAVER_HOOK_COMMANDS.pre)
+      && hookEntryInstalled(settings.hooks?.PostToolUse, WEAVER_HOOK_COMMANDS.post));
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+function hooksRunnable(bookRoot) {
+  const executable = process.platform === "win32" ? "npx.cmd" : "npx";
+  const result = spawnSync(executable, ["--no-install", "weaver", "--version"], {
+    cwd: bookRoot,
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    timeout: 15_000,
+    stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"]
+  });
+  return result.status === 0 && result.stdout.includes(GENERATOR);
+}
+
 export function runDoctor({ bookRoot, packageRoot = PACKAGE_ROOT, nodeVersion = process.versions.node } = {}) {
   const root = resolve(bookRoot || process.cwd());
   const blocking = [];
@@ -156,6 +199,16 @@ export function runDoctor({ bookRoot, packageRoot = PACKAGE_ROOT, nodeVersion =
     integrityFinding
   ));
 
+  const installed = hooksInstalled(root);
+  const hooksInstalledFinding = installed ? [] : [finding(FINDINGS.hooksInstalled)];
+  if (!installed) blocking.push(...hooksInstalledFinding);
+  checks.push(checkResult(FINDINGS.hooksInstalled.id, FINDINGS.hooksInstalled.title, installed ? "pass" : "blocking", hooksInstalledFinding));
+
+  const runnable = hooksRunnable(root);
+  const hooksRunnableFinding = runnable ? [] : [finding(FINDINGS.hooksRunnable)];
+  if (!runnable) warnings.push(...hooksRunnableFinding);
+  checks.push(checkResult(FINDINGS.hooksRunnable.id, FINDINGS.hooksRunnable.title, runnable ? "pass" : "warning", hooksRunnableFinding));
+
   const hostFinding = [finding(FINDINGS.host)];
   warnings.push(...hostFinding);
   checks.push(checkResult(FINDINGS.host.id, FINDINGS.host.title, "warning", hostFinding));

engine/hooks.mjs

@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ import { isAbsolute, join, relative, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { countWords, loadScenes } from "./manuscript.mjs";
 import { readProject } from "./project.mjs";
 import { loadRules, runRules } from "./rules.mjs";
+import { otherPendingChapters } from "./changes.mjs";
 
 const MATCHER = "Edit|Write|MultiEdit";
 const PRE_COMMAND = "npx --no-install weaver hook pre";
 const POST_COMMAND = "npx --no-install weaver hook post";
 
+export const WEAVER_HOOK_COMMANDS = { pre: PRE_COMMAND, post: POST_COMMAND, matcher: MATCHER };
+
 function hookEntry(matcher, command) {
   return { matcher, hooks: [{ type: "command", command }] };
 }
@@ -89,6 +92,14 @@ function findingText(finding) {
 function postHook(payload) {
   const scene = hookScene(payload);
   if (!scene) return null;
+  const otherChapters = otherPendingChapters(scene.cwd, scene.project, Number(scene.sceneId.split("-")[0]));
+  if (otherChapters.length) {
+    const chapters = otherChapters.join(", ");
+    return {
+      decision: "block",
+      reason: `Chapter ${chapters} has changes waiting for the author. Finish that chapter and ask the author to approve or reject it before editing chapter ${scene.sceneId.split("-")[0]}.`
+    };
+  }
   const result = runRules(scene.cwd, scene.project, { sceneIds: [scene.sceneId] });
   if (result.blocking) {
     const blocking = result.findings.filter((finding) => finding.severity === "block").map(findingText).join("\n");

engine/init.mjs

@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 // Copyright 2026 Mark Pickering and PICKBITS LLC. Part of PickBits Weaver.
-import { cpSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { appendFileSync, cpSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { PROJECT_ID_PATTERN } from "./project.mjs";
+import { installHooks } from "./hooks.mjs";
 
 const ENGINE_ROOT = resolve(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
 const TEMPLATE_ROOT = join(ENGINE_ROOT, "templates", "book");
@@ -31,10 +32,30 @@ export function initializeProject(target, { projectId = "untitled-book", title =
   project.project_id = projectId;
   project.title = title.trim();
   writeFileSync(projectPath, `${JSON.stringify(project, null, 2)}\n`);
-  spawnSync("git", ["init", "-q"], {
-    cwd: destination,
+  const gitignorePath = join(destination, ".gitignore");
+  const existingGitignore = existsSync(gitignorePath) ? readFileSync(gitignorePath, "utf8") : "";
+  const requiredIgnoreLines = ["node_modules/", ".weaver/tmp/", ".weaver/rejected/"];
+  const missing = requiredIgnoreLines.filter((line) => !existingGitignore.split(/\r?\n/u).some((entry) => entry.trim() === line));
+  if (missing.length) {
+    const prefix = existingGitignore && !existingGitignore.endsWith("\n") ? "\n" : "";
+    appendFileSync(gitignorePath, `${prefix}${missing.join("\n")}\n`);
+  }
+  const gitInit = spawnSync("git", ["-C", destination, "init", "-q"], {
     encoding: "utf8",
     stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "ignore"]
   });
+  installHooks(destination);
+  if (gitInit.status === 0) {
+    const config = (key, value) => {
+      const current = spawnSync("git", ["-C", destination, "config", "--get", key], { encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"] });
+      if (current.status !== 0 || !current.stdout.trim()) {
+        spawnSync("git", ["-C", destination, "config", "--local", key, value], { encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "ignore"] });
+      }
+    };
+    config("user.name", project.author?.trim() || "Author");
+    config("user.email", "author@weaver.local");
+    spawnSync("git", ["-C", destination, "add", "-A"], { encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "ignore"] });
+    spawnSync("git", ["-C", destination, "commit", "-m", "Initialize book"], { encoding: "utf8", stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "ignore"] });
+  }
   return destination;
 }

integrity.json

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   "files": {
     "LICENSE": "3954ad2ee7d56cfda60326c71dcfd3d7edd79a44727f51b5ca5e4b7c33b8c6d6",
     "NOTICE": "83abe7f22edf5a06f7b4814e8b4b4b124e1b612bd81dd4c6542c0b119fab4976",
-    "README.md": "f75d4c169b2b52010cdbe806db5e9626a287eb6f7a886624eb7387735e9b0ffd",
+    "README.md": "ce359e8675d27bca69cadbac2b594431a651f29e654539fdede4d972afebca60",
     "SECURITY.md": "5c9c72ffaa8dfdc744360ea666d2082c68bba2479c61d13810bbd595498afe2b",
     "contracts/import.schema.json": "68a9be97050a3e58bacbc984c9e1050d2b0b1db72066af96e0a5fb4019fe9e85",
     "contracts/integrity.schema.json": "1a8cb4b28748b0f2bfeffc4d0210f5f422d1b69cfed3a386ff60c5de0bdd8d08",
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@
     "docs/HANDOFF.md": "6e37433f60c54989abb1171c6989ed9c0cbab83be0d414d3d36ff6e985a9ee8c",
     "docs/LOOP.md": "bf3098c9afbcac6254d1682e87ad6b1e6ed798f0cb5e22a5f76a8fd3941fe8d5",
     "docs/ORIGIN.md": "d66e5d9a0c3e2c05a983c790dd616fc051d2666417ae0e1fd697478e5ff4cda8",
-    "docs/WORKFLOW.md": "86164c2c6e6544701572c088ed425801ded279cd52477fae7997e4f5984103e7",
-    "engine/doctor.mjs": "1e029539b16339f660347653d93ed1c003172f31c0d859a1f9edd0a4dd22ba5a",
+    "docs/WORKFLOW.md": "74e029e5d0977906b9a279787516e4e272478d6345705b48e1144911c539b44a",
+    "engine/changes.mjs": "faf344fd0a96ea9bc6beb414a30c89d9afa2ef40343af2db184fa7729059d4db",
+    "engine/doctor.mjs": "9fd9036d14712b12cd425bb3c4b6333cef9e56200f609d2b786ebb72de36c017",
     "engine/export.mjs": "092ad9a4687cf24ca5daa822c844879c8314adc227542cf46ec7b871e43f9f3c",
-    "engine/hooks.mjs": "ec844846a31850b7fc8da7c1c0df76e00fff03404b95a5882fb65487ec6e5d53",
+    "engine/hooks.mjs": "3d30b38ec828fbbb7606c7025cc1c63bd83f35a084ceae7abd8688ac4fccf36a",
     "engine/identity.mjs": "670f211b093aa783a0d6ed24be566239c438deb9da75e9ef20748e2c1b057364",
     "engine/import.mjs": "36b5f8475563d4fd0ea0ca9209d0232598e53d824733137cf46b8dbc2d3a81cc",
-    "engine/init.mjs": "a09729d6f34049b9629b9bba152bf1a7d190158d47c4e1e73b3d01ab66235475",
+    "engine/init.mjs": "dc9523ffd32226ae3624a8cba4997ceaaa11bac5fdc69f0909da03addc11a16d",
     "engine/integrity.mjs": "5c9ae6d22bbd28515887678e0e1ac214edd77ef2d2312fab63eda52407301e9f",
     "engine/manuscript.mjs": "eb03ce6d453b9b6d3a7e44b5d1a8d40eb88dcb86ae3963aaf0b4597345b14a59",
     "engine/project.mjs": "9f31f86a6cee011ea2486b7773491e5f6529a0b7f28e14094f1fb436c6ab2b81",
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@
     "prompts/reviewers/style.md": "4479a4cb676627ca1ff4f7116f15e0cdc1f50fe2763db1388371d80570c9cdd4",
     "prompts/state-extractor.md": "b2d92d014892f2a1c201003b1cd16cf9d0adcc5e8611f7d350eab612b8947cc5",
     "scripts/integrity.mjs": "78c0bcdf7b5858de517f02eb09db1febf6d33eec787f09e7c24178f0cb263243",
-    "scripts/weaver.mjs": "46b925faf84a30b9bd917bf5ade8df9fac9ce71735359060e9ddf7af02079284",
+    "scripts/weaver.mjs": "11f6545c0d130ec71db813cbac503314fafb0dd272d7cc21a9a7b736469ac29a",
+    "templates/book/.claude/settings.json": "9fb07cc94b12c3cce506c1bd2706c351dca83309f1db2bb25f5897cec1735fe2",
     "templates/book/AGENTS.md": "6bb83885ca4498cfd5e994f2b36cd1688db04d6174905b0a813c5fbedd7c4a10",
     "templates/book/README.md": "c33756ab69072410e4583f44daf21d08fa6c576816c5ed240284850d6e4b2659",
     "templates/book/manuscript/chapter-01/scene-01/scene.md": "b17ea1077a47bcca702be9646c5aa3fbf6f557625e1daedfed30a7dfd684f5c6",