diff --git a/queued_mailer/__init__.py b/queued_mailer/__init__.py
index d287c55..3e7d8f3 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/__init__.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 import logging
 import sys
 
+from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 hdlr = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stderr)
 formatter = logging.Formatter('%(message)s')
 hdlr.setFormatter(formatter)
 logger.addHandler(hdlr)
-logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
\ No newline at end of file
+logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+
+# celery app
+celery_app = import_string('project.celery_app.app')
diff --git a/queued_mailer/backend.py b/queued_mailer/backend.py
index 8842ecc..311c3b4 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/backend.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/backend.py
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 from django.core.mail.backends.base import BaseEmailBackend
+from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
 
 from . import logger
 from .settings import EMAIL_SEND_TASK
 
 
+def _get_message_recipients(email_message):
+    message_recipients = getattr(email_message, 'to', None)
+    if not isinstance(message_recipients, list):
+        return 'unknown'
+    return ', '.join(map(force_text, message_recipients))
+
+
 class EmailBackend(BaseEmailBackend):
     task = None
 
@@ -15,7 +23,10 @@ class EmailBackend(BaseEmailBackend):
     def send_messages(self, email_messages):
         num_sent = 0
         for email in email_messages:
-            logger.info(email)
-            logger.info(self.task)
-            num_sent += 1
+            try:
+                self.task.apply_async(email)
+                num_sent += 1
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error("cannot send message %s: %r" % (_get_message_recipients(email), e))
+
         return num_sent
diff --git a/queued_mailer/tasks.py b/queued_mailer/tasks.py
index f3392a9..430da12 100644
--- a/queued_mailer/tasks.py
+++ b/queued_mailer/tasks.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-from . import logger
+from . import logger, celery_app as app
 from .settings import EMAIL_BACKEND
 
 
+@app.task()
 def send_message():
     logger.info(EMAIL_BACKEND)
     logger.info('sent')