diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d3a6f44..21567db 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ let gemtext = md2gemtext::convert("some markdown")?;
 - code blocks get turned into code blocks (info strings are discarded)
 - something happens to HTML, i forget what
 - paragraphs get empty lines between them, because i think that looks better
-- block quotes get turned into quotes
+- block quotes get turned into quotes (multi-paragraph contiguous block quotes break though)
 - lists get turned into lists ("loose lists" probably misbehave, nested lists *definitely* misbehave, numbering is not preserved)
-- `` `markdown code spans` `` turn into `` `code spans` ``
-- `*markdown italics*` turn into `_italics_`
-- `**markdown bold**` turns into `**bold**`
+- `` `markdown code spans` `` retain their backticks
+- `_italics_` are surrounded by single underscores
+- `**bold**` is surrounded by double asterisks
 - `a [link](a://url) with context` turns into `a link with context` followed by `=> a://url link`
 - `an ![inline](a://url) image` turns into `an [image: inline] image` followed by `=> a://url [image: inline]`
 - if a link or image is its own paragraph, it becomes just the gemtext link, to not be redundant
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 7b3eabe..9469141 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ pub fn convert(markdown_text: &str) -> String {
     let mut state = State::new();
 
     for event in parser {
-        println!("{:?}", event);
         match event {
             md::Event::Start(md::Tag::Paragraph) => (),
             md::Event::Start(md::Tag::Heading(level)) => state.start_heading(level),
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn convert(markdown_text: &str) -> String {
 
             md::Event::End(md::Tag::Paragraph) => state.finish_node(),
             md::Event::End(md::Tag::Heading(_)) => state.finish_node(),
-            md::Event::End(md::Tag::BlockQuote) => state.finish_node(),
+            md::Event::End(md::Tag::BlockQuote) => (),
             md::Event::End(md::Tag::CodeBlock(_)) => state.finish_node(),
             md::Event::End(md::Tag::List(_)) => state.finish_list(),
             md::Event::End(md::Tag::Item) => state.finish_node(),
@@ -60,6 +59,7 @@ pub fn convert(markdown_text: &str) -> String {
 
     let nodes = state.nodes
         .into_iter()
+        .filter(|cluster| !cluster.is_empty())
         .map(condense)
         .collect::<Vec<_>>()
         .join(&gemtext::Node::blank());
@@ -205,5 +205,74 @@ impl State {
 
     fn add_rule(&mut self) {
         self.add_text("-----");
+        self.finish_node();
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[test]
+fn run_tests() {
+    let markdown_demo = r#"
+# h1
+## h2
+### h3
+
+---
+
+```
+sample
+  text
+```
+
+> implying
+
+1. don't pick up the phone
+2. don't let him in
+3. don't be his friend
+
+some `code` and some `` fancy`code `` and *italics*
+and __bold__ and ***semi-overlapping* bold *and* italics**
+
+this [paragraph](http://example.com) has [several links](http://example.org)
+and an ![inline image](a://url) in it
+
+![this one's just an image](https://placekitten.com/200/300)
+"#;
+    let gemtext_demo = r#"# h1
+
+## h2
+
+### h3
+
+-----
+
+```
+sample
+  text
+```
+
+> implying
+
+* don't pick up the phone
+* don't let him in
+* don't be his friend
+
+some `code` and some `fancy`code` and _italics_ and **bold** and **_semi-overlapping_ bold _and_ italics**
+
+this paragraph has several links and an [image: inline image] in it
+=> http://example.com paragraph
+=> http://example.org several links
+=> a://url [image: inline image]
+
+=> https://placekitten.com/200/300 [image: this one's just an image]
+"#;
+    assert_eq!(convert(markdown_demo), gemtext_demo);
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[test]
+fn test_list_start() {
+    let markdown = "> hi\n\n1. uh\n2. ah\n";
+    let gemtext = "> hi\n\n* uh\n* ah\n";
+    assert_eq!(convert(markdown), gemtext);
+}