diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
index 446455fa3..c10d1ca1c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import sys
 
 from .base_activity import ActivityEncoder, Image, PublicKey, Signature
 from .note import Note, GeneratedNote, Article, Comment, Review, Quotation
-from .note import Tombstone
+from .note import Tombstone, Link
 from .interaction import Boost, Like
 from .ordered_collection import OrderedCollection, OrderedCollectionPage
 from .person import Person
diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
index 1cffd0edc..fc5b11288 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/base_activity.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ class ActivityEncoder(JSONEncoder):
 @dataclass
 class Image:
     ''' image block '''
-    mediaType: str
     url: str
     type: str = 'Image'
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
index 4e36b01f8..d187acc6e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
@@ -36,9 +36,17 @@ class Article(Note):
     type: str = 'Article'
 
 
+@dataclass
+class Link():
+    ''' for tagging a book in a status '''
+    href: str
+    name: str
+    type: str = 'Link'
+
 @dataclass(init=False)
 class GeneratedNote(Note):
     ''' just a re-typed note '''
+    tag: List[Link]
     type: str = 'GeneratedNote'
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index 3172ea797..9f9aed43a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ class AbstractConnector(ABC):
         # atomic so that we don't save a work with no edition for vice versa
         with transaction.atomic():
             if not work:
-                work_key = work_data.get('url')
+                work_key = self.get_remote_id_from_data(work_data)
                 work = self.create_book(work_key, work_data, models.Work)
 
             if not edition:
-                ed_key = edition_data.get('url')
+                ed_key = self.get_remote_id_from_data(edition_data)
                 edition = self.create_book(ed_key, edition_data, models.Edition)
                 edition.default = True
                 edition.parent_work = work
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ class AbstractConnector(ABC):
         author_text = []
         for author in self.get_authors_from_data(data):
             book.authors.add(author)
-            author_text.append(author.display_name)
+            if author.display_name:
+                author_text.append(author.display_name)
         book.author_text = ', '.join(author_text)
         book.save()
 
@@ -215,6 +216,11 @@ class AbstractConnector(ABC):
         return None
 
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def get_remote_id_from_data(self, data):
+        ''' otherwise we won't properly set the remote_id in the db '''
+
+
     @abstractmethod
     def is_work_data(self, data):
         ''' differentiate works and editions '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/bookwyrm_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/bookwyrm_connector.py
index a9517ca0f..c7a0f2ece 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/bookwyrm_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/bookwyrm_connector.py
@@ -41,14 +41,22 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
         ]
 
         self.author_mappings = [
-            Mapping('born', remote_field='birth_date', formatter=get_date),
-            Mapping('died', remote_field='death_date', formatter=get_date),
+            Mapping('name'),
             Mapping('bio'),
+            Mapping('openlibrary_key'),
+            Mapping('wikipedia_link'),
+            Mapping('aliases'),
+            Mapping('born', formatter=get_date),
+            Mapping('died', formatter=get_date),
         ]
 
 
+    def get_remote_id_from_data(self, data):
+        return data.get('id')
+
+
     def is_work_data(self, data):
-        return data['book_type'] == 'Work'
+        return data['type'] == 'Work'
 
 
     def get_edition_from_work_data(self, data):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
index 0ae3ce35b..00b76f41d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
 
 
 
+    def get_remote_id_from_data(self, data):
+        try:
+            key = data['key']
+        except KeyError:
+            raise ConnectorException('Invalid book data')
+        return '%s/%s' % (self.books_url, key)
+
+
     def is_work_data(self, data):
         return bool(re.match(r'^[\/\w]+OL\d+W$', data['key']))
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
index 0e77ecf67..fb70978d8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
         )
 
 
+    def get_remote_id_from_data(self, data):
+        pass
+
     def is_work_data(self, data):
         pass
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/incoming.py b/bookwyrm/incoming.py
index 7507ee5b5..56bea4567 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/incoming.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/incoming.py
@@ -225,6 +225,15 @@ def handle_create(activity):
         if not reply:
             return
 
+    # look up books
+    book_urls = []
+    if hasattr(activity, 'inReplyToBook'):
+        book_urls.append(activity.inReplyToBook)
+    if hasattr(activity, 'tag'):
+        book_urls += [t.href for t in activity.tag if t.type == 'Book']
+    for remote_id in book_urls:
+        books_manager.get_or_create_book(remote_id)
+
     model = models.activity_models[activity.type]
     status = activity.to_model(model)
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 03b2c1f8b..b993ef5eb 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         ''' the activitypub serialization should be a list of author ids '''
         return [a.remote_id for a in self.authors.all()]
 
+    @property
+    def ap_cover(self):
+        ''' an image attachment '''
+        if not self.cover or not hasattr(self.cover, 'url'):
+            return []
+        return [activitypub.Image(
+            url='https://%s%s' % (DOMAIN, self.cover.url),
+        )]
+
+
     activity_mappings = [
         ActivityMapping('id', 'remote_id'),
 
@@ -90,6 +100,7 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
 
         ActivityMapping('lccn', 'lccn'),
         ActivityMapping('editions', 'editions_path'),
+        ActivityMapping('attachment', 'ap_cover'),
     ]
 
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
index f7b5e8a29..891bfd1b7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
     def get_book_from_isbn(self):
         ''' search by isbn '''
         search_result = books_manager.first_search_result(
-            self.isbn, min_confidence=0.992
+            self.isbn, min_confidence=0.995
         )
         if search_result:
             try:
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
             self.data['Author']
         )
         search_result = books_manager.first_search_result(
-            search_term, min_confidence=0.992
+            search_term, min_confidence=0.995
         )
         if search_result:
             try:
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 8798589f3..36dbb06d8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -57,6 +57,17 @@ class Status(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         ''' structured replies block '''
         return self.to_replies()
 
+    @property
+    def ap_tag(self):
+        tags = []
+        for book in self.mention_books.all():
+            tags.append(activitypub.Link(
+                href=book.local_id,
+                name=book.title,
+                type='Book'
+            ))
+        return tags
+
     shared_mappings = [
         ActivityMapping('id', 'remote_id'),
         ActivityMapping('url', 'remote_id'),
@@ -66,6 +77,7 @@ class Status(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         ActivityMapping('to', 'ap_to'),
         ActivityMapping('cc', 'ap_cc'),
         ActivityMapping('replies', 'ap_replies'),
+        ActivityMapping('tag', 'ap_tag'),
     ]
 
     # serializing to bookwyrm expanded activitypub