1) Authors have no control over the cover and other packaging issues; tolerably often they don't even have any input, and even when they do, it's often useful for them to keep their mouths shut and save their energy for more productive arguments. My books have appeared tolerably often with covers I dislike.

2) That's an intriguing idea; I don't know of it being done in recent times, however. Is there a particular set you'd like to suggest?