Terri Alkire
Screenwriter
TOP TEN FINALIST
crafting uplifting rom-coms
Contact me at terrialkire123 (at) gmail (dot) com
About Terri
Terri is a TOP TEN FINALIST screenwriter with a passion for crafting uplifting rom-coms that celebrate women over forty – second chances, fresh starts, and a timeless love that grows richer with age. As a woman over forty herself, she draws from her own experiences of reinvention to bring authenticity, humor, and heart to every script she writes. Notably, her screenplays have been awarded Top Ten Finalist, Semi-Finalist, and Quarter-Finalist in ISA's Emerging Screenwriter Family & Holiday Screenwriting Competition and Semi-Finalist in the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards - Diverse Writers Outreach.
Terri has undertaken a range of educational opportunities in screenwriting, television, film, and acting across institutions including UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and CSU Northridge. Her screenwriting journey has been shaped by mentorships with Hallmark screenwriter Joany Kane (The Christmas Card), Netflix screenwriter Mahtub Zare Mochanloo (Nobody Wants This.), and with Literary Manager Audrey Knox. Additionally, she completed screenwriting coursework at UCLA under screenwriter Cindy Davis (Pixar, Disney, Fox, ABC Family).
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With three college degrees in psychology and experience as a teacher and school psychologist, Terri's scripts often include elements of emotional well-being, resilience, and personal-empowerment. She's been honored with the Human Rights award from the California Teachers Association. Her educational career has equipped her with valuable skills applicable to screenwriting including collaborative prowess, effective time management, and meeting tight deadlines.
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Terri eagerly anticipates those moments each day when she can immerse herself into the creative realm of screenwriting, accompanied by her faithful canine companion, Monet.
Terri's Feature Scripts
Christmas Wishes, Christmas Kisses
​A Christmas Rom-Com Feature
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She’s a devoted teacher who’s sworn off love.. and actors. He’s a British actor hiding out from the spotlight. They couldn’t be more different until fate pairs them together to grant a child’s Christmas wish in a rustic Native American town. While the holiday magic draws them closer, his true identity threatens to tear them apart.
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Comparable: NOTTING HILL set in a rustic town rich with Native American culture and the heartwarming Christmas tradition of giving back.
The Santa Scoop
A Christmas Rom-Com Feature
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Top Ten Finalist, Semi-Finalist, and Quarter-Finalist in ISA's Emerging Screenwriters Family & Holiday Screenwriting Competition and a Semi-Finalist in the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards - Diverse Writers Outreach.
Determined to land a coveted hosting spot on Good Afternoon Seattle – providing her the time to care for her mother – a no-nonsense Latina reporter must team up with her carefree rival at a dazzling Christmas carnival to land the scoop of the season – an exclusive with Santa. But Santa won’t talk until they embody the true spirit of Christmas: childlike joy, generosity, togetherness.
A Home for the HOWLidays
A Christmas Rom-Com Feature
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Quarter-Finalist in ISA's 2025 Emerging Screenwriters Family & Holiday Screenwriting Competition.
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Desperate to reunite with her sister and niece, a selfless woman with zero baking skills — or fondness for dogs — enters a quirky Christmas dog cookie contest for the prize money. When her recipe is stolen and her hopes crumble, she teams up with the town’s charming veterinarian, discovering that the sweetest reward might just be putting herself — and love — first for a change.
Comparable: Nancy Meyers’s BABY BOOM with a festive twist of Christmas dog cookies.
(Un)lovable
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A refreshing non-traditional romantic comedy about the journey of finding self-love before rekindling true love, set against the humorous and poignant challenges of navigating the dating world after 40 years of marriage.​
Comparable: BRIDGET JONES searches for love in her 60s.