Elaine was born in Felling and started writing poetry in 1985 aged 15. She attracted the support and encouragement of Bloodaxe Books and this led to the publication of her first book of poetry, Bed and Breakfast with Lydia Lunch in the following year. Since then her poems have won numerous awards and appeared in various collections as well as on national TV and radio.

After graduating from Hull University in 1992, Elaine moved to London and worked as a rock music journalist. In the 1990s she was both a staff and freelance music writer for various publications including Mojo, Select, and The Times. During this time she fell, like Alice, into the weird wonderland of antiquarian bookselling. In 1998 Elaine set up her own online book business and also wrote and performed in several London-based bands.

In 2000 she dived into a range of community radio and oral history projects in London and Cambridge but the south was losing its appeal. Elaine had a crick in her neck from looking back over her shoulder to the north. It was time to go home.

Elaine moved back to Tyneside in 2009, settled by the sea and started writing poetry once again. In 2011 she contributed to Michael Chaplin's Come And See: The Beguiling Story of the Tyneside Cinema and All Right Now! 1970s Newcastle published by Tyne Bridge Publishing.

Her current work in progress is a biography of North East music legend Chas Chandler. In autumn 2011 she was a runner-up in the Biographer's Club 2011 Tony Lothian Prize. This prestigious national award is open to uncommissioned writers working on a biography.