diff --git a/bookwyrm/emailing.py b/bookwyrm/emailing.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..12dee65f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/emailing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+''' send emails '''
+from django.core.mail import send_mail
+
+from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm.tasks import app
+
+def password_reset_email(reset_code):
+    ''' generate a password reset email '''
+    # TODO; this should be tempalted
+    site = models.SiteSettings.get()
+    send_email.delay(
+        reset_code.user.email,
+        'Reset your password on %s' % site.name,
+        'Your password reset link: %s' % reset_code.link
+    )
+
+@app.task
+def send_email(recipient, subject, message):
+    ''' use a task to send the email '''
+    send_mail(
+        subject,
+        message,
+        None, # sender will be the config default
+        [recipient],
+        fail_silently=False
+    )