If your using keyclone or an equivalent youll need to set up which keys you do not want to be passed to your clones.

This would normally include your forward and strafe keys at the least. Back is optional (i have back being passed and another key set for each of the clones to move backwards).

As per your clone facing the wrong direction before you begin attacking. the simplest solution is to also make sure you hitting your follow macro each time it loses follow so that its facing the correct direction.
Once you get into the swing of things your clones with hardly ever come off follow unless you force them to if you have it set up correctly.