I've just read The Snow Child by
Eowyn Ivey which came out in 2012 and has been talked about a lot. Maybe that has influenced people along with the Tolkein thing?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Snow-Child-Eowyn-Ivey/dp/0755380533/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394626842&sr=8-1&keywords=the+snow+child+eowyn+ivey