diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index f08c44c..091e4bf 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -191,6 +191,26 @@ d_char *msg_update(snac *snac, char *object)
 }
 
 
+d_char *msg_admiration(snac *snac, char *object, char *type)
+/* creates a Like or Announce message */
+{
+    xs *ntid = tid(0);
+    xs *id   = xs_fmt("%s/d/%d/%s", snac->actor, ntid, type);
+    d_char *msg = msg_base(snac, type, id, snac->actor, "");
+    xs *rcpts = xs_list_new();
+
+    /* call the object */
+    timeline_request(snac, object, snac->actor);
+
+    rcpts = xs_list_append(rcpts, public_address);
+
+    msg = xs_dict_append(msg, "to",     rcpts);
+    msg = xs_dict_append(msg, "object", object);
+
+    return msg;
+}
+
+
 d_char *msg_actor(snac *snac)
 /* create a Person message for this actor */
 {
diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 3df09dd..ac6e225 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ int timeline_add(snac *snac, char *id, char *o_msg, char *parent, char *referrer
         md = xs_dict_set(md, "parent", parent);
 
     if (!xs_is_null(referrer))
-        md = xs_dict_set(md, "parent", referrer);
+        md = xs_dict_set(md, "referrer", referrer);
 
     msg = xs_dict_set(msg, "_snac", md);
 
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index acd9ef2..8efbc36 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if ((url = GET_ARGV()) == NULL)
         return usage();
 
+    if (strcmp(cmd, "announce") == 0) {
+        xs *msg = msg_admiration(&snac, url, "Announce");
+
+        {
+            xs *j = xs_json_dumps_pp(msg, 4);
+            printf("%s\n", j);
+        }
+
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     if (strcmp(cmd, "request") == 0) {
         int status;
         xs *data = NULL;
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 40fda20..f39e383 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ int webfinger_request(char *qs, char **actor, char **user);
 int webfinger_get_handler(d_char *req, char *q_path,
                           char **body, int *b_size, char **ctype);
 
+d_char *msg_admiration(snac *snac, char *object, char *type);
+
 int activitypub_request(snac *snac, char *url, d_char **data);
 int actor_request(snac *snac, char *actor, d_char **data);
 int send_to_inbox(snac *snac, char *inbox, char *msg, d_char **payload, int *p_size);