Eliana Barroso was born in Fortaleza in 1954. During her childhood she underwent the influence of her father, the poet, journalist and university professor Antonio Girão Barroso who, while she was still young, aroused her interest in Brazilian, as well as French, English and American literature. Although later she didn't pursue a literary career, she turned to journalism to fulfil her dream of writing with the curiosity and self-confidence by her father had taught her.

After finishing her studies in Communication which began at the University of Brasilia (UnB) and finished at the University of Ceará (UFC), she worked as a newspaper reporter, first in Fortaleza then in the capital of Brazil (DF) where she had a fonction in the Communication Department of the Ministry of Energy (MME). Though she never had any of her literary works published, she made contributions to cultural publications both on a university level and in the press media.